"Fear is the enemy of learning"

"Fear is the enemy of learning. Fear is the enemy of excellence in any endeavor where there is uncertainty."

Amy Edmondson

Fear - implicit or explicit - is a feature of most organisational work cultures:

Fear of perceived failure

Fear of those with higher status

Fear of loss of status

Fear of uncertainty

Fear of change

Fear of being 'found out'

Fear of new ideas

Fear of being 'on the outside'

Work cultures reflect the system*, and the system emerges from the assumptions and beliefs of senior leaders (who often have expensive lifestyles to maintain).

* Leaders choice of goals, incentives, reward mechanisms, rules, policies, processes, metrics, information flows, teams, groups, hierarchies, team structures, roles and responsibilities, career paths.