Rafael Chiusi

What are you afraid of?

After getting many, many answers, I could narrow down to one single factor, the fear of getting bad grades.

So I proposed them something.

I said, listen, how about I will personally guarantee you that as long as you can deliver me something that it's your own,

It's creative.

It's not plagiarized.

No matter how bold the idea is, I'll give you a fair grade above average."

They did not believe me.

They were laughing.

They thought it was some kind of trap.

But once they realized I was being serious, I could feel the tension just fading away, and the results were amazing.

Not only better projects,

but also more fun, more openness, more willingness to go the extra mile.

They had a safety net.

So creating this environment where failing is not judged harshly and approaching learning as a laboratory where you can make mistakes and fail better, it's the pillar of human development.

Of course, fostering such a positive environment means understanding a few caveats.

So it's important to highlight what psychological safety is not.

You can share your ideas, for example, but that doesn't mean you get a free pass to say anything you want at any time.

It means being open.

Yes, the team will consider all the plans and alternatives, but bear in mind that might come with some level of discomfort to you.