Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast: Why Psychological Safety Matters in Open Source
The success of open source projects doesn’t solely rest on technical brilliance—it’s deeply rooted in culture. "Culture eats strategy for breakfast," a timeless phrase, underscores how even the most meticulously planned strategies will falter in an environment lacking trust, respect, and inclusivity. Psychological safety is the foundation of a strong culture in open source, where developers often work publicly and collaboratively. This talk highlights how projects like Django have embraced inclusive cultural practices, ensuring contributors feel safe and valued, focusing on DSF Working Groups and the success of Djangonaut Space.
Presented at PyCon Greece 2025 by Priya Pahwa
Date: August 29, 2025
Location: Technopolis City of Athens
Presentation Mode: Virtual
Schedule: Website Link
Watch the talk: YouTube Link
Slides: Drive Link
Full transcript: Read Here
I was truly excited to be part of PyCon Greece 2025, even if it was virtually. While I missed being there in person, I’m deeply grateful to the organizers for giving me this opportunity to connect with the global open-source community and share some thoughts that are very close to my heart.
Why Talk About Culture in Open Source?
Before I began my talk, I asked the audience to reflect on a few questions:
- Have you ever had a question but didn’t ask it because you feared looking inexperienced?
- Have you seen someone treated unfairly through small, unintended comments that made them uncomfortable?
- Have you watched a talented person quietly disappear from a community despite wanting to contribute?
These situations—moments of microaggressions and unconscious bias—are all too familiar. In open-source communities, where interactions are public and permanent, the fear of such moments can stop contributors from sharing ideas, asking questions, or engaging fully.
The success of open-source projects isn’t just about brilliant code or optimized algorithms; it’s about the culture that shapes how people interact, learn, and collaborate.
“Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast” – What Does It Mean?
You might have heard the phrase “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. By now, you might be thinking, “Does this apply only to breakfast?” I’d say, it holds true for every interaction.
Imagine having the most brilliant roadmap for your project with the best plans and features. But if contributors are afraid to speak up, how will those ideas ever take shape? Strategy provides instructions, but culture determines whether those instructions can be followed at all.
Without culture, there’s no engagement. Without strategy, there’s no direction. Both must work together to make an open-source project thrive.
The Garden Analogy Django Documentation
In Django’s documentation, I found a metaphor that beautifully captures this relationship. It describes open source as a community-tended garden. Sometimes we pull weeds, sometimes we plant flowers, sometimes we nurture growth but every time the health of this garden depends entirely on how safe we feel as gardeners.
If we are afraid to admit mistakes or ask for help, the garden suffers. If communication slows down or contributors leave quietly, the ecosystem weakens.
This metaphor reminds us that building a healthy open-source community is a shared responsibility. It’s about creating an environment where contributors feel safe, valued, and empowered.
The Unseen Challenges in a Community Garden
Every gardener knows that growth isn’t always easy. We face both seen and unseen challenges:
- If weeds are ignored, they take over.
- If pests go unchecked, progress slows.
- If soil isn’t rich, plants struggle to thrive.
The same applies to open-source projects. When guidance is lacking, newcomers don’t know where to start. Poor communication leads to disengagement. An unwelcoming environment makes people quietly leave.
So how do we ensure the garden flourishes? The answer lies in how psychologically safe contributors feel.
What Is Psychological Safety?
Psychological safety isn’t about being nice—it’s about creating space for honesty and learning.
Dr. Amy Edmondson, who pioneered the concept, defines psychological safety as
Psychological safety isn’t about being nice. It’s about giving candid feedback, openly admitting mistakes, and learning from each other.
It is a shared belief that we can take risks, ask questions, share new ideas, and admit mistakes without fear of humiliation or retaliation.
This means contributors should feel comfortable saying, “I don’t know how to do this,” or asking for help without fear of judgment.
Google’s famous Project Aristotle studied over 115 engineering teams and found psychological safety to be one of the most critical factors in determining team success.
Measurable Signs of Psychological Safety in Open Source
It is not just a soft concept. It is measurable. You can observe psychological safety through community interactions:
- Number of comments on a pull request: A healthy amount of discussion shows contributors feel comfortable sharing and receiving feedback.
- Continued participation after rejection: Contributors who stay engaged after a pull request is rejected feel supported rather than shamed.
- Constructive conflict: Teams that view disagreements as opportunities for growth foster resilience and trust.
When people feel safe admitting mistakes or asking questions, it transforms the community culture.
Risk and Vulnerability — A Group Level Phenomenon
This is a group-level phenomenon — it shapes the learning behavior of the group and, in turn, affects team performance. Yet risk-taking and vulnerability are at odds with what social psychologists call “impression management.” and especially in the tech space we all are in, there is mostly an instinct that my first PR should create an everlasting impression, it has to be perfect, or what impression would be there if I fail to debug properly in a code-pairing session or what would folks think of me if my PR gets closed without being merged etc.
As Professor Brené Brown points out, this “impression armor” weighs us down and prevents us from growing. Instead, open-source communities should cultivate spaces where vulnerability is seen as strength, not weakness.
Actionable Steps to Build Psychological Safety
1. Encourage Curiosity
Every expert was once a beginner. But beginners are often terrified to ask questions. Instead of saying “You should know this”, we can reframe the conversation: “That’s a great question!”
Experimentation and failure should be embraced—not punished.
2. Give Constructive Feedback
Feedback should guide, not attack. For example, instead of saying “This is wrong”, say:
“I see where you’re going with this. Here’s another approach that might help.”
Use the sandwich feedback algorithm: start with something positive, provide actionable guidance, and end with encouragement.
3. Lead by Example
Culture isn’t dictated from the top; it’s demonstrated by every contributor every day. When maintainers admit what they don’t know, it encourages others to share vulnerabilities. Celebrating small contributions reinforces that every effort matters.
Creating threads like “Things We’re Still Figuring Out” fosters collective learning and helps newcomers feel included.
Djangonaut Space – A Practical Example of Psychological Safety
Programs like Djangonaut Space show how psychological safety can be intentionally built and sustained.
It’s an 8-week mentorship initiative where contributors passionate about Django work on projects while receiving guidance from Navigators (technical mentors) and Captains (community leaders). Together, they create an accessible, inclusive, and structured path for learning.
Weekly check-ins focus on progress and blockers—not judgement. Community-building efforts like newsletters, talks, and grants offer opportunities to grow.
By actively celebrating contributions and encouraging leadership, Djangonaut Space ensures long-term sustainability and creates psychologically safe environments where people learn and lead together.
Inclusivity – Actively Inviting, Not Passively Waiting
Inclusion is more than just opening a door, it’s about inviting others in. Outreach that aligns with contributors’ passions and skills is far more effective than passive inclusion.
When we reach out directly and thoughtfully, motivation follows naturally.
The Role of Working Groups in Django
The Django Software Foundation’s working groups play a key role in building inclusive spaces:
- Social Media Working Group amplifies community announcements.
- Fundraising Working Group ensures financial sustainability.
- Code of Conduct Working Group maintains community standards.
Each group operates with a clear charter available on DSF Working Groups, welcoming new ideas and contributors alike.
Recurring Cohesion – Trust Built Over Time
Communities thrive when contributors collaborate repeatedly. This deeper trust, called recurring cohesion, helps teams work together more effectively.
A shift from “Treat others how I want to be treated” to “Treat others how they want to be treated” ensures that cultural differences and personal preferences are respected.
Celebrations That Reinforce Culture
Global events like Django’s 20th birthday or conferences like PyCon Greece reinforce a sense of belonging. Newsletters, public shout-outs, and celebrations of even small wins make contributors feel seen and valued.
These practices remind us that psychological safety isn’t about rules, it’s about shared responsibility and empathy.
The Real Measure – Quality of Culture
Psychological safety isn’t a policy you can enforce—it’s a culture you actively build every day. The true measure of a community’s success isn’t its codebase—it’s the support, empathy, and safety members feel.
The next time you contribute, ask yourself:
- Am I making this space safe for others?
- Am I lifting others up the way I wished I was lifted up?
- Am I focusing on culture or just strategy?
These choices shape not only our projects but the future of open source itself. Thank You!
Watch the talk: YouTube Live
Full transcript: Read Here