What do you do if your team is afraid of failure and not taking risks?

1 Acknowledge and normalize failure

The first step is to acknowledge that failure is part of the process and not something to be ashamed of or avoided. You can do this by sharing your own experiences of failure, how you learned from them, and how they helped you grow. You can also highlight examples of successful people or organizations that failed before they achieved their goals. By normalizing failure, you can reduce the stigma and anxiety that your team may feel.

2 Provide constructive feedback and support

The second step is to provide constructive feedback and support to your team when they fail. You can do this by focusing on the positive aspects of their work, what they did well, and what they can improve. You can also help them analyze the causes and consequences of their failure, and identify the lessons and actions they can take to avoid repeating the same mistakes. You can also offer your guidance, resources, and encouragement to help them overcome the challenges and move forward.

3 Celebrate and reward learning from failure

The third step is to celebrate and reward learning from failure, not just success. You can do this by creating opportunities for your team to share their failures and learnings with each other, such as debriefs, retrospectives, or showcases. You can also recognize and appreciate their efforts, courage, and resilience, and reward them for taking risks, trying new things, or implementing changes based on their learnings. By celebrating and rewarding learning from failure, you can foster a growth mindset and a positive attitude towards failure.

4 Model and encourage experimentation and innovation

The fourth step is to model and encourage experimentation and innovation in your team. You can do this by setting clear and realistic goals and expectations, but also allowing your team some autonomy and flexibility in how they achieve them. You can also create a safe and supportive environment where your team can test their assumptions, hypotheses, and prototypes, and get feedback from you, their peers, or their customers. You can also challenge your team to explore new possibilities, opportunities, and solutions, and support them in pursuing their passions and interests.

5 Build trust and psychological safety

The fifth step is to build trust and psychological safety in your team. You can do this by being transparent, honest, and respectful with your team, and inviting their feedback and input. You can also show empathy, compassion, and care for your team, and acknowledge their emotions and feelings. You can also promote collaboration, cooperation, and communication among your team members, and help them resolve conflicts and issues. By building trust and psychological safety, you can create a culture where your team feels comfortable to take risks, fail, and learn together.

6 Review and improve your own response to failure

The sixth step is to review and improve your own response to failure. You can do this by reflecting on how you react to your own failures, and how they affect your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. You can also seek feedback from your team, your peers, or your supervisor, and identify your strengths and areas for improvement. You can also learn from other supervisors or leaders who have successfully dealt with failure, and adopt their strategies and practices. By reviewing and improving your own response to failure, you can set a good example for your team and inspire them to follow your lead.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?