Michael Lissack
Mortgage’s “Failosophy” program exemplifies this approach, creating ex- plicit attribution for failed innovations that generated important learning. Attribution Training Organizations provide explicit training on how to interpret attribution data, preventing misunderstandings about what contribution patterns actually represent. Google’s engineering orienta- tion explicitly addresses how to interpret commit histories, recognizing that raw contribution metrics without proper interpretation can create misleading impressions. Developmental Privacy Zones Some organizations create explicit developmental spaces where attribution exists but remains private to the individual and their coaches rather than becoming team-visible. This ap- proach maintains the learning benefits of attribution while reducing ex- posure anxiety during skill development. When thoughtfully balanced, transparent attribution and psycholog- ical safety become mutually reinforcing rather than contradictory. Clear attribution reduces territorial behavior while psychological safety enables the vulnerability necessary for genuine collaboration. Together, they cre- ate environments where people contribute freely without requiring either defensive protection or anxiety-producing exposure. Digital Traces as Organizational Memory Beyond their role in current recognition, digital signposts increas- ingly function as organizational memory—persistent traces of past ac- tions, decisions, and contributions that shape future understanding. While traditional organizations relied on human recollection, formal documentation, and oral history to maintain institutional knowledge, digital environments create vastly more comprehensive (if sometimes less coherent) organizational memories. Email archives preserve conversations from years past, making long-forgotten discussions suddenly retrievable. Version control systems maintain complete histories of how products evolved, including paths not taken. Internal social platforms create searchable records of questions
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