Psychological Safety in High-Performance Sport: Contextually Applicable?

Abstract

In recent years, high-performance sport has seen a rising interest in Psychological Safety, a construct with a strong empirical basis in certain business contexts. As research and practice interest grows in PS, there are early indications of practitioners and, to a lesser extent research, treating the construct as being universally transferable. We offer three central concerns with this situation. Firstly, it seems that a variety of different interpretations in use may limit the practical application of the construct. Secondly, a concern that not all dimensions of PS are transferable or applicable in the HPSs context, especially for athletes. Finally, emerging evidence from outside of sport suggests potential downsides to the perceptions of PS in a performance/selection sets. We suggest that, as with all theories and constructs, there is a pressing need for nuance and context-specific evidence in how researchers and practitioners approach transferability plus, perhaps, a little more understanding of the real-world high-performance context.

Tough Love—Impactful, Caring Coaching in Psychologically Unsafe Environments

“…In line with recent critiques of the uncritical application of PS as a conceptual model in HP sport, data in this study suggest a complex and nuanced relationship between perceptions of safety and performance development [14]. Much like data collected in other contexts, it does appear that the construct may not always be a performance enhancer [15].…”

“…Several issues with the application of the construct in HP have been raised. As highlighted in a recent critical review, even by redefining the construct, it is difficult to see how it can be applied to athletes in HP [14]. At the very least, it has been suggested that there is a need to apply PS in a critical manner, understanding potential downsides such as lower overall performance without accountability, or even unethical behaviour [15,16].…”

“…Additionally, players were clear that overly positive interactions with coaches, aimed at 'pleasing' them, or building relationships, were perceived as detrimental, especially without the developmental input that they needed [42]. Thus, when addressing the HP milieu, 'caring for' athletes whose needs are clearly expressed and self-determined by their own long success as performers, offers a paradox to coaches who are presented with key conceptual precursors of PS [14].…”

“…As a result, it seems that PS, where present, rather than being universally positive may limit development, cf. [14,15]. In essence, there is the fascinating dimension, clearly warranting further empirical attention, that so long as coupled by a level of role clarity, it may be desirable for coaches to deliberately reduce PS.…”

“…At the very least, we would suggest that the uncritical attempt to apply the construct across performance sport settings without an evidence base is both unwarranted and potentially harmful to the athlete interests presented as of paramount importance. For the time being, it would at least appear wholly unwarranted for PS to be seen as an unquestionably positive element of athlete development, or in many cases whether it is actually possible for PS to be a feature of the HP milieu [14].…”