Failure (Even Fast!) Is Not an Option

I believe that the words we choose matter, especially when we are trying to change culture.? The term “fail fast” has become a buzzword (buzzphrase?) that I hear often in context of innovation, agility, change management and customer centricity. ?The original intent of the phrase was about testing hypotheses quickly with rapid prototyping and fast feedback loops, and it still has a solid place!? But when these concepts hit the general lexicon, without the history, they become dangerous, and in reality, an emphasis on "failing fast" can have far-reaching negative consequences. Failing fast can become an excuse for a lack of discipline, a way to OK sloppy execution, or to minimize the importance of good change management.? Focusing on failure can erode confidence, lower employee morale, and stifle innovation. Instead, companies should prioritize learning fast and iterating based on data and feedback. It is this focus on continuous learning and improvement that propels businesses towards sustainable growth and innovation.

Failing Fast has some Pitfalls...

* Erodes Confidence

When a company frequently fails i(privately or in the public eye), it doesn’t just affect internal operations; it damages internal and external perceptions as well. Whether you are thinking of investors like a startup, or your “investors” are employees and leaders who are investing time, energy and resources, we all want an ROI.? Every failure - whether large or small - chips away at confidence.

* Impacts Employee Morale

Failing frequently can have an undesired effect on team dynamics and morale. Employees invest their time, effort, expertise and reputation into projects, and when these projects fail without clear lessons or outcomes, it leads to burnout and disengagement. Each failure becomes less about learning and more about fear, blame and excuses.

On the other hand, a learning-first approach ensures that every setback is seen as a step forward. When we iterate based on data and adjust strategy accordingly, we can sustain employee engagement. Employees can see progress in real-time, contributing meaningfully toward a shared goal. One of the things I most respected about Satya Nadella from Microsoft was how he prioritized a growth mindset, encouraging teams to learn quickly, innovate, and iterate. This shift from fear of failure to embracing learning is part of the fuel that accounts for Microsoft’s resurgence as a global tech leader.

* Hampers Innovation

It is easy to assume that failure leads to innovation, but failing fast can also hinder it. Frequent failures limit our ability to take advantage of, or accelerate, market opportunities, with scarce resources spent managing crises instead of fostering real breakthroughs. End customer confidence is impacted, you start to see “switcher” mentality, the cost burden of change is high, etc.

However, emphasizing iterative learning allows us to seize opportunities as they arise. Amazon is a good reference example of an iterative approach rooted in continuous feedback and improvement. This mindset allows them to pivot efficiently without losing market momentum or trust. Amazon’s strategy doesn’t involve rapid, high-profile failures—it focuses on learning from small iterations and making adjustments that better meet customer needs.? If you happen to have access to Forrester, this report by Dan Bieler is an informative report to read.

Learning Fast and DOE: A Better Path

One of my favorite frameworks for structured learning comes from Design of Experiments (DOE), a specialty within Six Sigma. DOE is rooted in systematically designing experiments to optimize product or service outcomes. It offers an analytical approach that reduces the risk of failure by gathering data and iterating purposefully, making it a powerful tool for companies seeking to innovate without the stigma of repeated failures.? For more on this, visit isixsigma.

Rather than embracing failure, using a framework like Design of Experiments (DOE) allows us to structure innovation efforts. DOE emphasizes proactively designing experiments to learn and iterate efficiently. It involves gathering data at each stage of product or service development and using that data to make informed decisions, reducing the likelihood of failure and enhancing success.

DOE is especially useful for companies in competitive markets because it ensures that changes are based on empirical data, not guesswork. It minimizes the risk of repeated failures by controlling variables, measuring outcomes, and ensuring continuous improvement. This method aligns well with the concept of learning fast, where each iteration builds on the last, enabling companies to improve without damaging their reputation or wasting precious resources.?

An additional benefit is that using a framework like this empowers teams by showing them that their work contributes to a well-thought-out process of improvement. It creates a culture of confidence, where employees know that setbacks are part of an intentional learning process rather than unexpected failures. This then gives our people a sense of control over, or at least understanding of, outcomes along with confidence that the company is making calculated, data-driven decisions that reduce the likelihood of failure.? DOE and Six Sigma isn’t the only framework, just search for “Spotify continuous innovation strategy” and you’ll see articles on Medium, Spotify blog post, Fast Company, etc. and you’ll see their approach to innovation as an example.

Learning Fast is the Key to Sustainable Growth

Failure is absolutely a part of the innovation process, but failing fast is not a sustainable strategy unless you and your team are really embracing something like agile methodology with specific use cases vs as a general mantra. The real key to success at scale across functions lies in learning fast—making small, data-driven iterations that quickly lead to tangible progress and improvements, providing a clear north star to your teams, a robust enablement framework, and driving towards customer centric outcomes.?

Competitors are not standing still, and neither are customer expectations.? Every time we fail to step up, we are moving backwards, and the focus on failing fast can accelerate that.

At the end of the day, this is a key piece of how we change culture, and aligning on a common lexicon with purpose is an important part of that.? There is a difference between failing fast and learning fast, so why not remove that focus on failure and instead enable every person in our organizations to learn, grow and innovate?

One of my favorite quotes is from German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. The original quote goes something like: "Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see."? We see more genius when everyone is empowered and feels part of the innovation process.?

So let's ditch the phrase "fail fast", and focus on learning fast, together, and becoming better every day.