Search the internet for “worst bosses” and you will find plenty of real-life horror stories. Toxic leadership extends beyond screaming threats to subtler but equally damaging bullying, silence or ignoring, and exclusion. Three decades of research by academics and applications by practitioners have shown that, in contrast, leaders who create psychological safety gain and sustain high performance among employees. Psychologically safe cultures treat team members with care and empathy. In this issue of TD at Work, Kenneth Nowack and Paul J. Zak detail the role talent development professionals play in helping leaders hone their management skills. Further, they:

• Provide a brief history and explain the neuroscience of psychological safety.

• Review the reasons it leads to high-performance teams.

• Identify ways leaders and organizations can create safe cultures.

• Demonstrate how to measure psychological safety and related outcomes.

Job aids included in this issue are a team psychological safety survey, a psychological safety exercise, and a leadership checklist.