Oops: Tips for Failing Forward

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Or so the saying goes. Yet all too often our emphasis is on gaining instead of venturing. We value innovation and encourage our teams to stretch and take risks. But do we truly create environments where employees feel safe to fail?

Winston Churchill said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm.” Failing forward with vigor is a learned skill. Knowing how to bounce back and view failure as part of the path to success takes practice and support.

I was fortunate early in my career to have a boss that believed that failure was key to growth. In fact, on my performance review one year he highlighted a product launch that had gone south as one of my biggest successes. Our corporate values centered around teamwork, innovation, and service. Even though the product didn’t hit the targets we were hoping for (not even close), he outlined the ways I demonstrated each of our core values in my attempt. It’s a lesson I will never forget.

As a leader, you have a valuable opportunity to not only drive innovation but to teach your employees how to view setbacks as learning opportunities. Here are some tips for helping your team to fail forward instead of falling flat:

Take a Breath   

Having a project flop under your watch can be disconcerting. It’s hard not to let your emotions, concerns, and disappointment overshadow the need to support your team. Take a little time to gather your thoughts. Even the best leaders can feel rattled when things go off course. It may be helpful to talk through your concerns and next steps with a trusted peer, coach or mentor.

Avoid the Blame Game

When faced with a poor outcome, it’s natural to want to assign blame. However, this is rarely productive and can reinforce a fear of failure. Instead, try shifting the focus from who's responsible to what went wrong. Ask probing questions about the process. Help your team identify the reasons that things went off course. By changing the focus from fault to discovery, you are fostering a culture where employees feel empowered to try new ideas and learn from their mistakes.

Acknowledge the Disappointment

Let's face it, falling down hurts! There are often feelings of shame with failure that can affect our sense of self-worth and competence. It’s not realistic to expect someone to bounce back right away. Give employees some time and space to process and work through their disappointment. Be there for support and encouragement. Try sharing a similar experience about a time that you failed. It not only shows that failure is okay but lets employees know that you can relate to how they're feeling.

Rally the Troops

Once your team has had time to process, you need to shift the focus to moving forward--onward and upward! While it’s important to take time to analyze what went wrong, try not to let your team get bogged down in that phase for too long. Encourage ideation throughout the discovery process to help maintain momentum and enthusiasm for exploration.

Celebrate the Attempt

Accentuate the positive! Focus on what went well and highlight key learnings. Take time to acknowledge the effort and the willingness to take a risk. By celebrating the losses and not just the wins, you help to remove the stigma around failure and encourage employees to try something new.

Remember, as leaders, we need to teach our team that failure is an option. Not only is it inevitable, but also an important part of the innovation journey.

Lisa Kogan-Praska is the Vice President of Client Strategy for illumyx; a culture consultancy focused on data-driven diagnostics, people analytics, and targeted solutions that drive operational effectiveness and strengthen the employee experience. Click here to learn more about how illumyx can help optimize your workplace culture.