Are there still too few failures in German companies?
Not because mistakes don't happen – but because they are concealed, omitted or packaged in PowerPoint whitewashing.
And this is exactly where the real leadership problem begins.
The fear of losing face
In many management levels, the old dogma still prevails: mistakes are weakness, control is strength.
The result: a culture of "just don't broach the subject of mistakes". Employees hold back ideas because they fear being punished for a failure or losing the boss's favor. Maybe it will even cost the next promotion.
Leaders are making decisions that are focused on security or career rather than impact. And teams only develop to the limit of risk – never beyond it.
But modern organizations thrive on experimentation, learning and speed. Innovation arises where people dare to try things out – and are allowed to talk openly about mistakes.
The Renaissance of Failure
In recent years, a trend has established itself in innovative companies that addresses precisely this fear: the "Fuck-up Session" .
What sounds provocative at first is in fact an expression mature corporate culture .
Managers and employees openly share their biggest mistakes, tell what they have learned – and encourage them to take risks.
The principle is simple, but radical:
Those who speak out about their mistakes lose their fear of them.
And those who lose fear gain the freedom to create.
Companies that take this step experience noticeable changes:
– Trust increases.
– Cooperation becomes more honest.
– Speed increases.
– And above all, decisions are made more courageously and responsibly.
Leadership in the Age of Psychological Safety
A functioning error culture is no coincidence. It is leadership work.
Psychological safety – i.e. the feeling of being able to speak openly in a team without having to fear negative consequences – is not a "soft skill". It is the basis for high performance.
Google proved this years ago in its "Project Aristotle" study:
Teams with psychological safety are more productive, innovative, and loyal.
But the crucial point is: This culture begins at the top. Managers are the architects of trust.
And this is exactly where the ME business group comes in. MEvelopment at.
Rethinking Leadership: MEvelopment as a Tool for Cultural Change
Ours Management Consulting for Leadership and Organizational Development accompanies companies that have understood that leadership no longer works through control, but through culture.
With MEvelopment we develop leaders who encourage instead of spreading fear – who listen instead of making announcements – and who create an atmosphere in which mistakes are not the end, but the beginning of progress.
In our trainings, managers learn how to build psychological safety, change feedback processes and design team communication in such a way that openness becomes a habit.
We show how "Fuck-up Sessions" can be meaningfully integrated into existing structures – not as a show event, but as a real learning space.
And we establish processes in which learning from mistakes becomes an integral part of strategy, development and performance management.
From "I can't fail" to "I want to learn"
A strong error culture takes courage.
Courage to laugh at yourself.
Courage to show one's own blind spot.
And courage to let go of the perfectionism that paralyzes so many organizations.
But those who take this step gain something that no process optimization or AI tool can provide: trust.
Trust between people who want to grow together.
Leadership without error culture is like an airplane without an engine – beautifully painted, but without lift.
If you want to empower your leaders to enable real progress, talk to us.
👉 MEvelopment is your DEvelopment| Leadership Excellence Training Reimagined