That is a real issue. I think part of it involves creating a culture where it's acceptable to make failures as long as those failures were the result of a sound

That is a real issue. I think part of it involves creating a culture where it's acceptable to make failures as long as those failures were the result of a sound decision process. What you don't want is a culture that is either a) afraid to take any risk because they are afraid of career consequences or b) willing to roll the dice with bad decision processes due to biases and bad incentives. Example for a): bureaucrats who are unwilling to push the envelope because a bad outcome would effectively end their career Example for b): making high-risk decisions due cost/schedule pressure, like competition for a contract