The Connected Leadership Podcast

Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Building a Culture of Innovation with Daniela Landher

The Connected Leadership Podcast

Published: 24 March 2025 at 01:00 Europe/London

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Episode notes

In this episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata revisits his conversation with Daniela Landher, a former head of talent engagement at Google and now an executive coach specialising in psychological safety at work. They discuss the importance of embracing failure as a means to foster innovation and growth within organisations. Daniela shares insights on creating psychologically safe environments where employees feel comfortable discussing mistakes without fear of repercussions.

The conversation touches on concepts like "fail fests," where teams openly discuss project failures to learn from them, and the idea of "failing fast" to encourage rapid learning and adaptation. Daniela also highlights the role of leadership in showing personal vulnerability and openness about their mistakes, thereby setting the tone for the entire organisation. Andy and Daniela explore how traditional educational systems and corporate cultures often inhibit this mindset, emphasising the need for a cultural shift towards acceptance of failure as a learning opportunity.

Key Takeaways:

1. Embracing failure fosters innovation and growth in organisations.

2. Psychological safety is crucial for open discussions about mistakes.

3. "Fail fests" help teams learn collectively from past errors.

4. Leaders should model vulnerability by owning up to their own mistakes.

5. Traditional systems often discourage a healthy approach to failure.

6. A culture that accepts failure as a learning opportunity leads to better organisational outcomes.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE

EPISODE

Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube

Connect with Daniela Landher: Website |LinkedIn |

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