Description

In this episode of The Team Engagement Podcast, Shawn Richards speaks with Rachel Franco, Founder and CEO of Fail Smarter, about psychological safety, learning from failure, growth mindset, and emotional wellness.

Rachel explains why innovation requires an environment where experimentation and thoughtful failure are accepted. She shares how leaders can strengthen psychological safety by modeling vulnerability, responding to ideas with curiosity instead of judgment, and measuring how safe people actually feel speaking up.

Rachel also challenges leaders to examine whether they have a growth mindset toward other people, not just themselves. If leaders believe someone cannot improve, they may unintentionally stop giving that person the opportunities and feedback necessary to grow.

When it comes to emotional wellness, Rachel recommends developing greater self-awareness, seeking support from peers, and remembering one very practical habit: get up and move. Even a short walk can help leaders manage stress and approach challenges with a clearer perspective. 

What you'll learn:

•  Why psychological safety is essential for experimentation and innovation 
•  How leaders can model vulnerability around mistakes and failure 
•  Why curiosity is a better response than judgment 
•  The importance of measuring psychological safety 
•  How a leader's beliefs about other people's potential affect their growth 
•  Why self-awareness and peer support matter for emotional wellness 
•  How simply getting up and moving can help leaders reset and think more clearly 

Connect with Rachel:

Website: https://www.fail-smarter.com/about
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelfranco

More episodes: https://teamengagementpodcast.com

#Leadership #TeamEngagement #PsychologicalSafety #GrowthMindset #FailSmarter #RachelFranco