When leaders admit errors: How psychological safety explains followers’ willingness to share errors

This study examines how leader error sharing influences follower error sharing through the mediating role of psychological safety at the relational level. Drawing on social learning theory, we propose that when leaders openly acknowledge their own work-related mistakes, particularly those high in severity but low in visibility, it fosters follower perception of psychological safety and, in turn, encourage follower error sharing. To test these assumptions, a vignette-based experimental study was conducted with 175 full-time employees recruited via Prolific Academic. Participants were randomly assigned to a leader error-sharing or control condition. Results supported the proposed model, showing that psychological safety partially mediated the relationship between leader error sharing and follower error sharing. These findings extend prior research by shifting the analysis from the team to the relational level and by demonstrating that professional, rather than personal, disclosures can elicit positive follower responses. The study contributes to the literature on error management, leadership, and organizational learning, and highlights leader error sharing as a practical behavior that promotes a culture of psychological safety and open communication.