What Courage at Work Really Looks Like

You Set the Tone. Are You Creating Safety?

What Courage at Work Really Looks Like

Courage at work doesn’t always look like bold declarations or public wins. Sometimes, it looks like quiet honesty, asking hard questions, or admitting when you got it wrong.

Inspired by the work of Amy Edmondson, who coined the concept of psychological safety, this reflection challenges the idea that bravery at work is loud or performative. True courage is shown in environments where people feel safe to speak up, offer a different perspective, or take thoughtful risks.

As a leader, you set the tone. If your team isn’t speaking up, it’s not because they don’t care. It’s because they don’t feel safe. What might shift if courage became the cultural norm, not just an outlier behavior?

Action Step:

Create intentional moments for your team to reflect, speak up, and share feedback—then model the same vulnerability yourself.