Why No One’s Speaking Up (And Why It’s Not About Apathy)

If your staff isn’t speaking up, it’s not always about apathy.

It might be fear.

Not the dramatic kind. Just the quiet, everyday kind that makes someone second-guess raising a concern, sharing a new idea, or admitting they made a mistake.

That fear doesn’t show up randomly—it’s shaped by culture. And when fear runs the show, you’ll start to notice patterns: the same voices dominate meetings, feedback only goes one way, and nobody admits when something’s not working until it blows up.

That’s where psychological safety comes in.

Coined by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, psychological safety describes a work climate where people feel safe to take interpersonal risks. That includes asking questions, offering dissenting views, admitting errors, or simply saying “I don’t know”—without fear of being punished, shamed, or silently judged.

This isn’t just about being nice. It’s about unlocking your team’s full potential.

Wondering what’s really driving the silence on your team?

We help organizations get curious before they get stuck. Let’s talk about it.