Companies fail when they lose the collective capacity for curiosity. Poor cultures develop through active promotion and rewarding of poor behaviours, subtle nudges and winks, inaction or by giving licence by turning a blind eye.

In every case, there is a failure to explore the anomalies or outliers which is the essence of curiosity. Focusing only upon traffic lights to signal danger or safety while ignoring the passenger who has spotted a speeding truck can lead to devastating outcomes.

Failing to spot anomalies in workplace culture can lead to system failures.Credit: Tamara........

© The Sydney Morning Herald