What are the best ways to help a group learn from past failures when innovating?

1 Create a safe and supportive environment

Before you start any innovation session, make sure that the group members feel safe and supported to share their ideas, opinions, and experiences. Establish some ground rules for respectful and constructive communication, such as listening actively, giving feedback kindly, and avoiding blame or judgment. Encourage the group to adopt a growth mindset, which means seeing failure as an opportunity to learn and improve, rather than a sign of inadequacy or incompetence. Remind the group that innovation is a collaborative and iterative process, and that everyone has something valuable to contribute.

2 Use a structured method to analyze failure

One of the most effective ways to help a group learn from past failures when innovating is to use a structured method to analyze what went wrong, why it went wrong, and how to prevent or overcome it in the future. Some examples of such methods are the 5 Whys, the Fishbone Diagram, or the After Action Review. These methods help the group to identify the root causes, the contributing factors, and the possible solutions for the failure, as well as to document the key lessons learned. By using a structured method, you can help the group to avoid jumping to conclusions, making assumptions, or ignoring important details.

3 Focus on the positive aspects of failure

Another way to help a group learn from past failures when innovating is to focus on the positive aspects of failure, rather than the negative ones. For example, you can ask the group to reflect on what they learned from the failure, what they did well, what they enjoyed, or what they are proud of. You can also highlight the benefits of failure, such as stimulating creativity, increasing resilience, or fostering teamwork. By focusing on the positive aspects of failure, you can help the group to appreciate the value of failure, to celebrate their efforts, and to motivate them to try again.

4 Involve the group in generating and implementing solutions

Finally, you can help a group learn from past failures when innovating by involving them in generating and implementing solutions for the problems they encountered. Rather than imposing your own ideas or solutions, ask the group to brainstorm and evaluate different options, using techniques such as Brainstorming, SCAMPER, or Six Thinking Hats. Then, help the group to select and test the most promising solutions, using methods such as Prototyping, Experimenting, or Piloting. By involving the group in generating and implementing solutions, you can help them to feel empowered, engaged, and accountable for their innovation outcomes.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?