- Two in five are afraid to admit errors, men are more afraid
- Germany and US
- A review of ‘Radical Flash’ is needed
The provider of technological solutions Addtavist has revealed that two out of five IT leaders are afraid to admit errors due to a culture of guilt and fear, however, there are unwanted consequences associated with this effect.
Two of each five (42%) recognize that this fear compromises the cybersecurity of their company, highlighting how a basic culture can have broader impacts on an entire organization.
The report also revealed that Male IT leaders (45%) are more likely to fear admitting errors compared to their female counterparts (29%).
The work culture of fear and guilt has broader effects
According to the study, almost half (44%) of IT leaders declare that their organization prioritizes the speed on quality, with a sense of urgency that increases the risk of errors, possible security errors and new vulnerabilities.
Adaptavist also highlighted the growing pressure on workers, with two out of five (39%) concerned that heavy workloads could distract them from significant work, which leads to an important incident of IT.
Worldwide, the study found that the United Kingdom was among the worst places to be a IT leader, and 54% pointed out that lack of psychological security is hindering innovation, compared to 42% in the United States and 37% in Germany. The fear of admitting errors is also greater in the United Kingdom (47%) compared to the US (39%) and Germany (36%).
Adaptavist Cto Jon Mort summarized: “The culture of the excessive workload technology industry, fear and guilt has been allowed to develop in recent decades due to high -risk nature.”
Looking towards the future, Mort advocates Radical Candor, which the company describes as a “specific and sincere and clear criticism communication framework.”
“Adopting an ‘radical open’ approach is key to creating an effective feedback cycle that prioritizes efficiency and learning, without inducing ‘guilt’,” he added.
With 55% of IT leaders who admit that this type of culture is not in their place and many claim that guilt is more prominent than learning within their organization, Mort believes that a healthier workforce and culture will ultimately lead to a stronger company in general.
