Listening Requires Psychological Safety

By this point in the module, we have explored why listening matters and the behaviours that characterise effective listeners. However, even the most skilled listener cannot gather meaningful information if the trainee does not feel comfortable sharing their thoughts honestly.

Listening, therefore, is a shared process.

It depends not only on the mentor's ability to listen but also on the trainee's willingness to speak openly.

Educational research increasingly refers to this as psychological safety.

Amy Edmondson (1999) describes psychological safety as a shared belief that individuals can take interpersonal risks without fear of embarrassment, criticism or negative consequences. Within schools, psychological safety enables professionals to admit uncertainty, ask questions and discuss mistakes as opportunities for learning rather than evidence of failure.

Whilst Edmondson's work focuses largely on teams and organisations, the principle is highly relevant to mentoring.

Trainees are far more likely to engage honestly with feedback when they believe that mentor meetings are spaces for professional learning rather than judgement.

This does not mean avoiding challenge.

Rather, it means creating an environment in which challenge can be discussed constructively.

Why Trainees Sometimes Withhold Information

It is easy to assume that trainees will naturally tell mentors when they are struggling.

In reality, many trainees deliberately conceal difficulties.

Research into professional learning suggests that novice professionals frequently worry about appearing incompetent, disappointing colleagues or damaging professional relationships (Schön, 1983).

Within Initial Teacher Training, trainees may avoid discussing concerns because they fear that admitting difficulty will:

• affect assessment outcomes;
• reduce their mentor's confidence in them;
• make them appear unsuitable for teaching; or
• create additional pressure.

As a result, mentors often receive only part of the picture.

For example, a trainee may say:

"Everything's fine."

Whilst their body language, confidence or recent observations suggest otherwise. This is why listening extends beyond hearing words. It involves recognising inconsistencies between what is being said and the wider evidence available.

Building Trust Through Everyday Conversations

Trust rarely develops during a single mentor meeting.

Instead, it develops gradually through repeated professional interactions.

Bryk and Schneider (2002) describe relational trust as being built through four characteristics:

• respect;
• personal regard;
• competence; and
• integrity.

Within mentoring, these characteristics may be demonstrated through relatively small actions.

For example:

Respect

Giving trainees uninterrupted time to explain their thinking before responding.

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Competence

Providing feedback that is specific, evidence-informed and clearly linked to professional learning.

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Personal Regard

Showing genuine interest in the trainee's development rather than focusing solely on assessment documentation.

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Integrity

Following through on agreed actions and maintaining consistency between what is said and what is done.

These behaviours gradually establish the trust that allows more honest conversations to occur.

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Balancing Support and Challenge

One misconception about active listening is that mentors should simply agree with trainees or avoid difficult conversations.

This is not the case.

The ITTECF (Department for Education, 2024) describes mentoring as both supportive and appropriately challenging.

Listening helps mentors determine how challenge should be introduced.

For example, consider the following trainee statement:

"I don't think that lesson was very good."

An inexperienced mentor may respond immediately with reassurance:

"Don't worry—it wasn't that bad."

Whilst intended to build confidence, this response closes down reflection.

An alternative response might be:

"Tell me what led you to that conclusion."

This demonstrates curiosity rather than judgement.

It allows the mentor to understand whether the trainee's concern relates to:

• classroom management;
• subject knowledge;
• confidence;
• pupil learning; or
• something else entirely.

Only once this understanding has been established can the mentor decide how best to support the trainee.

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Listening for What Is Not Being Said

Experienced mentors often describe listening for the conversation beneath the conversation.

Consider the following examples.

These interpretations should never be treated as conclusions.

Instead, they provide possible avenues for further exploration.

An effective mentor might respond:

"That's interesting. Tell me a little more about that," rather than immediately attempting to solve the problem.

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Reflection Activity

Read the mentor conversation below.

Mentor

"How are things going this week?"

Trainee

"Fine."

Mentor

"Great. Let's look at your targets."

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Reflection Questions

1. What opportunities has the mentor missed?
2. What additional questions could have encouraged a more meaningful conversation?
3. What evidence, beyond the trainee's words, might help the mentor understand how things are really progressing?
4. How could the mentor create greater psychological safety during future meetings?