Within an institution, fear of failure can originate from leadership. If people at the top of an organization are averse to failure, or projects turning out differently than expected, a culture of fear trickles down to the rest of the team. Alternatively, embracing experimentation and letting go of an attachment to a particular brand of success can set a tone where staff feel empowered and confident in their abilities.
At Kataly, our board members have worked actively to de-center themselves and trust the staff to make strategic decisions for the Foundation without fear. In this Q&A, two of our board members, Regan Pritzker and Chris Olin, share reflections on how they have ceded decision-making power without disengaging, what failure brings up for them, and what it means to lean into the messiness of relationships.