A Few More Details

Omission Bias

Our tendency tendency to judge harm caused by inaction as less bad than harm caused by action—even when the outcomes are the same or worse. In other words: doing nothing feels safer than doing something, even if it leads to worse results. It can lead people to avoid making tough calls, skip interventions, or delay decisions, all to avoid personal responsibility.

Why It Happens

• Taking action feels riskier and more blameworthy than staying passive.
• We assume that errors of commission (“I did the wrong thing”) are worse than errors of omission (“I didn’t do anything”).
• We fear judgment or accountability more when we act and fail, than when we do nothing at all.
• There’s a comfort in the status quo, even when it’s not working.

Why It Can Be Good

• Encourages thoughtful hesitation before making high-risk changes.
• Prevents rash decisions under pressure.
• Promotes a careful review of options, especially in unfamiliar situations.
• Avoids over-correcting when the best move is to wait.

Why It Can Be Bad

• Leads to dangerous inaction in the face of real hazards.
• Avoids difficult conversations or interventions—which only makes problems worse.
• Delays critical decisions that require leadership and accountability.
• Falsely comforts people with the idea that “at least I didn’t cause it.”

How It Shows Up in Leaders

• Noticing a potential safety issue but don’t say anything because “it might not turn into a problem.”
• Letting a crew continue a poor practice, hoping they’ll fix it on their own.
• Avoiding confronting a worker about risky behavior, thinking “It’s not technically wrong.”
• Not suggesting improvements, because “that’s not my call” or “no one asked.”
• It might sound like: “It’s not ideal, but I’d rather not make it worse.” “If I bring it up, then it becomes my problem.” “They’ll figure it out.”

How It Shows Up in Teams

• Workers see something unsafe but don’t speak up—telling themselves, “It’s not my place.”
• Team members fail to intervene when a coworker is struggling or at risk.
• They stay quiet in meetings, even when they spot a mistake.
• They don’t report close calls or near misses, because “no one got hurt.”
• They say things like: “I didn’t cause it, so I stayed out of it.” “Better to mind my own business.” “I didn’t want to get involved.”