Psychological Safety in Engineering Teams

Engineering students learn a shocking truth in their first year: most team projects fail not

because of bad technical skills, but because teams never establish psychological safety.

Google studied this for years and found it's the number one factor for team success,

beating out talent and experience. When team members can't speak up, admit mistakes,

or take risks without fear, innovation dies. The solution isn't complicated: clear

roles, proactive allyship, and structured feedback using the three by three model.

Engineers also learn about the Iron Ring ceremony, a Canadian tradition born from the Quebec

Bridge collapse that killed seventy five workers. That ring on your pinky finger isn't