The Four Stigma Lies

These are the barriers to psychological safety in teams to beat.

Strong teams don’t just happen—they’re built through trust, communication, and a culture where people feel safe to speak up.

But too often, teams struggle with invisible barriers that keep them from operating at their best. These barriers stem from what I call the four stigma lies—deeply ingrained beliefs that shut down psychological safety before it even has a chance to take root.

When psychological safety is missing, teams disengage.

Mistakes go unreported.

Innovation slows.

Efficiency takes a hit.

And in high-stakes environments, that’s not just a performance problem—it’s a safety risk.

If you're experiencing mistake after mistake on your team, wondering why you have a high turnover rate or struggling to get people to take the initiative, these are the symptoms that your team is lacking psychological safety.

At its core, stigma is the fear of consequence. It stops people from asking for help, admitting uncertainty, or challenging bad decisions.

These four stigma lies directly oppose the four levels of psychological safety identified by Timothy Clark:

• Inclusion Safety

• Learner Safety

• Contributor Safety

• Challenger Safety

Let’s break these lies down—and, more importantly, explore how to dismantle them.

Stigma Lie #1: You Have to Earn Your Spot

Barrier to Inclusion Safety

Every team member should feel like they belong from day one—not after proving themselves through arbitrary tests. But the lie that “you have to earn your spot” fosters exclusivity, cliques, and an “outsider” mindset. There is a long history of “hazing”, “messing with the new guy”, and “earning your stripes” in many industries that are accepted as the norm.

When people feel they have to constantly justify their place on the team, constantly prove their worth, they shift into survival mode instead of contributing their best work. Inclusion isn’t something you win—it’s something leaders intentionally create.

🛠 Break the Lie: Build a culture where every team member is valued for who they are, not just what they produce. Recognition and respect shouldn’t be conditional.

Stigma Lie #2: You Are Not Allowed to Make Mistakes

Barrier to Learner Safety

In high-risk industries, mistakes can have real consequences—but the belief that “mistakes are unacceptable” kills growth, creativity, and even safety itself. When people fear making errors, they either hide them or stop taking initiative altogether. That’s how preventable failures can quickly turn into disasters.

The best teams don’t punish mistakes—they learn from them. Psychological safety creates an environment where people ask, “What can we improve?” or “How can we do it better?” instead of “Who’s to blame?”

🛠 Break the Lie: Normalize learning by reviewing mistakes openly and constructively. Reinforce that learning isn’t about perfection vs punishment—it’s about progress.

Stigma Lie #3: I Am in Charge

Barrier to Contributor Safety

Strong leaders empower others. Weak leaders hoard control. The belief that “I am in charge” stifles participation, disengages teams, and blocks innovation. Simon Sinek supports this idea when he suggests shifting the definition of leadership from “in charge” to “in your charge”.

Here’s the truth: The best ideas often come from the people closest to the work. If a frontline worker sees a problem but doesn’t feel safe speaking up, that silence could cost time, money, or even lives.

🛠 Break the Lie: Give every team member a voice. Leaders should ask, “What do you think?” and actually listen. Respect isn’t about authority—it’s about impact.

Stigma Lie #4: I Am Right

Barrier to Challenger Safety

The moment a team stops questioning itself, it stops improving. The belief that “I am right” shuts down conversation, kills innovation, and leads to poor decision-making.

In reality, the strongest leaders admit when they’re wrong. The most effective teams don’t avoid conflict—they engage in it constructively. Challenger safety isn’t about agreeing all the time; it’s about ensuring the best ideas get heard and have a chance to win, not just the loudest voices.

🛠 Break the Lie: Encourage pushback. Make it clear that challenging the status quo isn’t insubordination—it’s healthy and how teams get better.

Dismantling Stigma, Building Strength

If you want a high-performing team, psychological safety isn’t optional—it’s essential. The best teams replace stigma with trust. They create cultures where people feel included, safe to learn, empowered to contribute, and free to challenge.

Leaders set the tone. When you trade fear of consequence for freedom to grow, you don’t just improve performance—you build a team that’s stronger, safer, and more resilient.

Our work is to break the stigma. It’s time to lead!