Loud Thinking

Stop Trying to Hide Your Failures

Even though failure is praised in places like Silicon Valley, it’s still considered taboo in many workplaces. But the truth is that we need to experience failure in order to learn and grow. So how do we leverage a setback to succeed next time? First, we have to speak openly and honestly about our failures, so they are put into their proper context. Recognize that innovation requires failure. If you have a 100% success rate, you’re not doing anything new. Instead of hiding your mistakes, own your narrative. In some ways, it’s a reframing: it’s not so much that you’re creating something (such as a product or service) that failed; it’s that you’re steadily improving a series of drafts. And remember, failure is ongoing. After all, stretch goals are things outside your wheelhouse that may not work out. But if you’re making new and different mistakes, that’s progress.

Adapted from “Stop Believing That You Have to Be Perfect” by Dorie Clark.