When you or your team try new things — and not all of them succeed — that’s called experimentation. Learning from experiments is essential for your company’s growth. On the other hand, when you deviate from proven practice because of inattention or lack of training, that’s probably a mistake. It’s critical to know the difference, and to create a workspace where individuals feel psychologically safe to take smart risks.
It’s OK to Fail, but You Have to Do It Right
Failing once at something new is an experiment, and experiments are crucial to success. Failing twice at the same thing might be more accurately called a mistake.
July 28, 2023
Summary.
Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson is probably best known for her work on psychological safety in the workplace. She has authored a number of books, including the forthcoming Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well, and she spoke with HBR editor in chief Adi Ignatius about the right–and wrong–ways to fail. Experimentation and risk-taking are crucial for an organization’s success, but failing twice in the same way is probably a mistake.