40% of IT leaders scared to admit mistakes due to workplace culture of fear

• Adaptavist report finds two in five are scared to admit mistakes, men are more fearful
• Germany and US better than UK for IT leaders
• A ‘radical candour’ overhaul is needed

Two in five IT leaders fear admitting mistakes due to a culture of blame and fear, however there are unintended consequences associated with this effect, new research has claimed.

A report from Adaptavist found a further two in five (42%) recognize that this fear compromises their company’s cybersecurity, highlighting how a basic culture can have wider impacts on an entire organization.

The report also revealed male IT leaders (45%) are more likely to fear admitting mistakes compared with their female counterparts (29%).

Workplace culture of fear and blame has broader effects

The study found nearly half (44%) of IT leaders state their organization prioritizes speed over quality, with a sense of urgency increasing the risk of errors, potential security blunders and further vulnerabilities.

Adaptavist also highlighted mounting pressure on workers, with two in five (39%) concerned that heavy workloads could be distracting them from meaningful work, leading to a major IT incident.

Globally, the study found the UK to be among the worst places to be an IT leader, with 54% noting that a lack of psychological safety is hindering innovation, compared with 42% in the US and 37% in Germany. Fear of admitting mistakes is also higher in the UK (47%) compared with the US (39%) and Germany (36%).

“The technology industry’s culture of excessive workloads, fear, and blame has been allowed to develop over the last few decades due to the high-stakes nature of IT," noted Adaptavist CTO Jon Mort.

Looking ahead, Mort advocates for radical candour, which the company describes as a “communication framework for specific and sincere praise and kind and clear criticism.”

“Adopting a ‘radical candour’ approach is key to creating an effective feedback loop that prioritises efficiency and learning, without ever inducing ‘blame’,” he added.

With 55% of IT leaders admitting this type of culture is not in place and many stating that blame is more prominent than learning within their organization, Mort believes a healthier workforce and culture will ultimately lead to a stronger company overall.

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