Anton Guinea
Entrepreneur, Speaker, bestselling author, and founder of The Guinea Group of Companies. For over 15 years, Anton has helped leaders move their teams to become psychologically safe, physically safe and overall better versions of themselves.
I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders, and one truth keeps showing up: most of them genuinely care about their people. They want to create a workplace where people feel supported, heard, and mentally safe. But there’s something most leaders don’t realise. Psychological safety doesn’t start with your team. It starts with you.
And to be clear, it doesn’t start with perfection or expertise. It starts with bravery. And no, I don’t mean the rah-rah, loud kind. I mean the kind that takes guts to sit in discomfort, own your decisions, and lead with empathy even when it’s hard.
Brave leadership is quieter than you think
Most people confuse bravery with confidence or control. But real leadership bravery is subtle. It’s the moment you say, “I don’t have the answer right now.” It’s when you let someone disagree with you and thank them for it. It’s when you lean into hard conversations instead of avoiding them.
One thing I’ve found myself saying more often lately is that brave leaders don’t just lead teams. They set the emotional tone of the room. Without emotional safety, there’s no real trust. And without trust, no one’s taking risks, sharing ideas, or speaking up when something’s wrong.
That’s why I believe so strongly in the value of courageous leadership. It’s the foundation for safe teams, and honestly, it’s what most workplaces are missing.
It’s your job to make it safe to fail
Teams aren’t afraid to take risks because of what might happen. They’re afraid of who they might disappoint. You.
That’s why brave leaders are the ones who go first. They admit their mistakes. They take accountability. And they show their team that failure isn’t fatal. It’s part of the process.
I’ve written about this before, and if you want some practical ways to build that environment, check out our thoughts on how to create a safe space at work.
There’s also a great piece on why psychological safety needs to be paired with real leadership courage. It mirrors what I’ve seen too. Creating a safe space isn’t soft. It’s leadership in action.
Brave leaders earn trust, not just respect
I’m convinced that trust is built in moments of truth. When things go wrong, not when everything’s going right. That’s when your team watches how you respond. Do you react with blame? Or do you take a breath and respond with clarity and compassion?
If you want to dig deeper into this, we’ve broken it down in our article on building trust through consistent leadership.
What does bravery look like in practice?
Let me make this tangible. Brave leadership sounds like:
- “I made a mistake. Let’s talk about it.”
- “What am I missing?”
- “How do you feel about that decision?”
- “You’re right, and I hadn’t considered that.”
- “Let’s slow down and really listen here.”
These aren’t magic words. But they create something powerful. Permission. Permission for your team to be real, to challenge ideas, and to trust each other.
If you’re not sure where to start with that, our Speak Safe program was built to help teams speak without fear. Because a team that’s afraid of its leader isn’t performing. It’s surviving.
Why this matters right now
Workplaces aren’t the same as they were five years ago. People are tired of pretending, and they’re not interested in working for leaders who don’t get it. They want real. They want safe. And they want leaders who are brave enough to go first.
If you’re interested in reading more about why courage matters more than ever, here’s a brilliant breakdown of how safety and bravery are linked.
Your leadership is the ceiling of your team’s safety
Here’s the thing. If your team doesn’t feel safe, it’s not their fault. It’s yours. That might sting, but it’s the truth. Safety starts at the top. It starts with you.
And the good news? You don’t have to be a perfect leader. Just a braver one.
If you want to start building a safer, more open team environment, book me here. I’d love to help you lead a team that doesn’t just perform but one that thrives.
Or if you just want to ask a question or have a yarn about leadership, reach out. No pressure. No pitch. Just people-first leadership support.
Please click the image below if you’d like to chat about what leadership means to you
If you would like to learn more about Anton or The Guinea Group, please click here to book into Anton’s calendar, to:
UPGRADE your Mindset
UPSKILL your Leadership
UPLIFT your Teams