What if the biggest safety risk on site isn’t what you do, but what you don’t say?

In this powerful episode of Site Story, host Colin Tomlinson sits down with psychologist and leadership coach Lucy Airs to dig into the concept of psychological safety and why it might be the missing link between training, team trust and project success.

Together, they explore why even the best-trained teams still fall short, and how the fear of speaking up is quietly costing the industry time, money and sometimes, lives.

You’ll hear:

• What psychological safety actually means (and what it doesn't)

• How leaders unintentionally shut down honesty on site

• Real examples from high-risk industries, including healthcare and construction

• Why small mistakes are the key to avoiding big disasters

• Simple steps leaders can take to build trust: without micromanaging

• How to talk about errors in a way that builds confidence, not blame

🔑 “If you’re not hearing about mistakes… it doesn’t mean they’re not happening.”

About the Guest:
Lucy Airs MAPP PCC is a psychologist, leadership coach and doctoral researcher focused on the real-world development of psychological safety in teams. She brings decades of experience working with leaders across sectors to help them create the conditions for real change and safe performance.

Mentioned Resources:
📖 The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson
📖 The Right Kind of Wrong by Amy Edmondson
📘 Defy by Sunita Sah
💡 Concepts: Appreciative Inquiry, Team Psychological Safety, Constructive Error Reporting