In the Debris Field

It’s not about failure. It’s about what it teaches us.

In the past few months, I have been publishing stories of great project failures, and folks have asked me why I am focusing on something as depressing as failures. Well, I’m here to tell you that more projects fail than succeed. Yes, failure is an inevitable part of business. Yet, in my research, the overall stories even out. The Sydney Opera House is still a magnificent architectural marvel and UNESCO Heritage site. The FBI fiasco became successful once the white-hot glare of the media and politicians with an axe to grind focused on something else. Baggage gets delivered at Denver International, and even from the ruins of Confirm, all the partners pulled through with their reservation systems.

However, with every great failure comes the question of what happened and why. Now, I may write snarky, somewhat drunk history stories about a grand collapse, but the point is that an organization has a choice: either blame people or blame causes. Companies that foster a culture of learning from failure, rather than blaming individuals, build stronger, more resilient teams and drive long-term success.

The Problem with a Blame-Oriented Culture

In a blame-driven environment, failure is treated as a personal shortcoming rather than an opportunity for growth. Employees fear making mistakes because they know that errors will be met with punishment or scapegoating. I think all of us have been there: Finger pointing, lack of accountability, the tendency to pull back from expressing opinions.

A culture of blame turns failure into a weapon, and if you have managers and C-Suite denizens using that weapon, well, you should expect anyone working in that environment looking for a way out, and fast. You create a culture where creativity is stifled. Team members experience stress over the failure itself and anxiety about potential repercussions, such as job security, performance reviews, or damaged reputations. People who invested time and effort may feel frustrated, especially if they believe the failure was due to poor leadership, lack of resources, or external factors beyond their control. Some individuals, particularly those in leadership or decision-making roles, might internalize the failure, leading to feelings of guilt and questioning their competence.

If a failure leads to layoffs, restructuring, or resignations, it can break apart a once-close team, leading to feelings of isolation or resentment. As for accountability, hands up all of those who have been on that team where no one will admit mistakes for themselves, but are quick to point out every flaw in every other team member, for fear of being sent into the cornfield.

A Culture of Learning: Shifting Focus to Root Causes

Focusing on the root causes, however, approaches failure differently. Instead of assigning blame, it asks, “Why did this happen? And what can we do differently next time?”

The most important thing about focusing on the cause and not the person is that it creates a psychological safety net. People are more likely to speak out and share opinions. This leads to faster problem-solving. Open debriefs and emphasizing the iterative nature of business success can help individuals and teams recover and grow from the experience.

This is important for teams as it encourages innovation and risk taking. When employees know they won’t be punished for honest mistakes, they are more willing to experiment and push boundaries, leading to groundbreaking ideas and improvements. When blame is removed, employees take responsibility for their actions because they see accountability as a step toward improvement rather than punishment. This is based on the idea that no one is going to sabotage the project they are working on. Even in the case of CONFIRM, the managers were not actively sabotaging the project; they were lying to cover their asses. In these cases, of course measures must be taken. Mistakes, though, be they one of hubris or misunderstanding or underestimating scope or risks, happen every day. Some are small, some are nearly catastrophic, but rarely is it the case of someone actively making it fail.

Best Practices for Building a Learning Culture

There are plenty of large companies where the culture of learning from mistakes rather than punishing someone who works. Pixar’s Braintrust meetings allow teams to critique projects without personal attacks. The focus is on making the work better, not tearing people down. This fosters a creative and collaborative environment where failure is part of the refinement process. Jeff Bezos has frequently stated that Amazon is willing to make “big bets” that sometimes fail. The company differentiates between reversible (two-way doors) and irreversible (one-way doors) decisions, encouraging experimentation when there’s room to recover. Failures like the Fire Phone were seen as learning experiences that informed future successes like Alexa. Experimentation and failures go hand in hand; you are never going to come up with the perfect solution the first time out.

Our first inclination is to point fingers when something fails. Fostering a workplace that learns from failure takes work, control, and total buy in from all levels. It starts from the top. Executives and managers should openly discuss their own missteps and what they learned from them. Leaders should create an environment where employees feel safe admitting mistakes without fear of retaliation. Open discussions about failure should be encouraged at all levels.

When leadership demonstrates humility and a learning mindset, it sets the tone for the entire organization.

Instead of criticism that assigns blame, feedback should focus on solutions. This approach helps teams refine their processes without demotivating employees. This includes stopping the inevitable “I told you so” that all of us are inclined to say. Yes, you saw it happening. Focus on finding a solution next time instead of sitting back. Instead of asking, Who caused the problem? ask, What caused the problem? Conduct post-mortem discussions that focus on processes and decisions rather than individuals. From that, processes need to be improved.

The Long-Term Payoff

Organizations that embrace a culture of learning from failure outperform those that rely on blame. They adapt more quickly to change, foster higher employee engagement, and drive continuous improvement. When employees feel secure in admitting and addressing mistakes, companies gain valuable insights that prevent future failures and enhance overall performance.

In the end, failure isn’t the real problem—how a company responds to it is. By shifting the focus from who made the mistake to why it happened and how to fix it, businesses can turn setbacks into stepping stones for success.