Innovation & Motivation
One of the breakout sessions from the Forefront Tech Leaders Community Leaders Summit in Brisbane last week focused on the discussion of "Building an Ideal Technology Stack & Strategy" under a utopian scenario (e.g coming into a new role with unlimited budget, lack of regulation etc). Executives at our table, and another, came to a similar conclusion - that strategically creating a safe-to-fail environment for employees is the most pivotal aspect for both innovation and motivating staff.
Innovation is often seen as the driving force behind progress. True innovation, is a process filled with experimentation, where mistakes are necessary - not just to be expected*. In Australia's current IT market, many organisations are increasingly focused on quick wins and reducing OPEX costs and the pressure to deliver immediate results has continued to overshadow the long-term benefits of fostering safe-to-fail cultures. While this approach is expected to yield short-term gains, this comes with a significant opportunity cost: by not encouraging risk-taking and learning from failure, organisations miss out on the cultural benefits & deep innovation that drives lasting identity & success, and employer desirability to the candidate market.
Enabling a culture where employees feel secure enough to take risks and occasionally fail without fear of retribution is a key indicator of a positive working environment. When individuals are not burdened by the fear of failure, they are more likely to push boundaries, think creatively, and develop groundbreaking solutions.** This environment not only catalyses innovation but also attracts top tier talent, employees who thrive on the freedom to innovate and explore new ideas.
Embracing a safe-to-fail mindset might be the secret sauce to unlocking the next productivity uplift, cultural change or technological breakthrough in your business.
*PARC