The Organizational Shadow
Understanding the shadow holds the key to trust and innovation
What organizations suppress holds the key to trust and innovation
Organizations systematically exclude uncomfortable phenomena: failure, vulnerability, dissent, social privilege. These ideas form the basis of Kate Spade & Co’s Social Impact Council, which focuses on mental health and speaking truth in organizations. Moreover, research demonstrates that normalizing failure leads to a double-digit improvement in performance, and the vulnerability of personal narratives builds trust even across ideological divides.
This research has moved beyond the halls of academia to be featured at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Professor Tinsley regularly teaches organizational leaders to reframe failure as learning to improve employee engagement.
“Professor Tinsley delivered an exceptional keynote to our mid-to-high-level commercial team—one that was both intellectually rigorous and deeply transformative... her bold, skillful exploration of ‘shadow topics’ leaders often avoid... Leader feedback reflected a sharper strategic lens and a refreshing recognition that we can leverage the very things we often believe make us weak...”
— Jessica Randall, GM, The Chesapeake States, Brown-Forman Corporation