The Cost of Silence – Why Psychological Safety Is a Business Imperative
- Brainz Magazine
- Oct 17
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 20
Written by Clint Adams, Mental Health Advocate & Coach
Clint Adams is an author who wrote a book on suicide prevention. He has appeared on numerous podcasts and has been a guest speaker on mental health and promoting resilience.
When employees stay silent out of fear, organizations lose more than just ideas, they lose trust, innovation, and growth. In this powerful article, Clint Adams explores how creating psychological safety can transform workplaces from fear-driven to courageous, thriving environments where people feel safe to speak up.
Silence isn’t golden in the workplace
We’ve all heard the saying “silence is golden.” In workplaces, however, silence can be fatal to innovation, trust, and even safety. When employees don’t feel safe to speak up, organisations pay the price in missed opportunities, poor decision-making, and costly mistakes.
“People will not voice ideas or concerns if fear is louder than trust.”
The hidden cost of fear
Fear doesn’t always shout. More often, it whispers. It looks like:
The engineer who spots a safety hazard but says nothing, worried about blame.
The HR officer who notices a brewing conflict but keeps quiet to avoid “rocking the boat.”
The team member with a million-dollar idea who swallows it, fearing ridicule.
This is the “Red Brain” at work, the survival part of our neurology that drives us to protect, withdraw, and stay silent. While it may feel safer in the moment, silence drains organisations of innovation, engagement, and trust.
Why psychological safety is no longer optional
Research shows that teams with high psychological safety are more innovative, resilient, and productive. But beyond the numbers, this is about humanity.
Psychological safety is the permission to be human at work. It’s the freedom to say, “I made a mistake,” or “I have a different idea,” without fear of humiliation.
In my book Lighting the Blue Flame, I describe this shift as moving from Red Brain to Blue Brain, from fear to reflection, from survival to possibility.
“Psychological safety isn’t soft. It’s strategic.”
Leaders set the tone
Cultures of silence don’t appear overnight. They are shaped, often unintentionally, by leaders who confuse authority with control.
But here’s the good news, leaders can unmake them. By admitting their own mistakes, inviting challenge, and rewarding honesty, leaders flip the organisational switch from Red Brain to Blue Brain.
When that happens, trust ignites. And once trust is burning, silence has no oxygen.
A call to action
If silence is costing your organisation, it’s time to act. Ask yourself:
Do my people feel safe to speak up?
Am I rewarding honesty and courage, or punishing it?
Am I willing to model vulnerability before asking others to do the same?
The greatest risk isn’t what people say. It’s what they don’t.
Read more from Clint Adams
Clint Adams, Mental Health Advocate & Coach
Clint Adams is a former police officer turned counselor who has worked in numerous industries promoting better mental health and resilience at the school and work level.
He has a background in psychology and behavioural science and is the author of Lighting the Blue Flame, a book aimed at suicide prevention, which is an interactive book with numerous QR codes linking to various sites and additional information.
