About this video

• Video Title: The art and science of failing well
• Channel: Big Think
• Speakers: Not explicitly mentioned, but the transcript is a monologue.
• Duration: 00:06:17

Overview

This video explores the concept of failure, emphasizing its necessity for learning, growth, and creativity. It discusses different organizational and personal responses to failure and offers strategies for embracing it constructively to foster resilience and innovation.

Key takeaways

• Failure is an essential component of learning and is experienced by all successful individuals.
• It's crucial to distinguish between making a mistake and being a failure to avoid negative self-perception and fear of admitting errors.
• Effective organizations adopt a "forgive and remember" approach, balancing psychological safety with learning from mistakes.
• Individuals and organizations should create space for failure, provide recovery periods, and establish feedback mechanisms to learn from setbacks.
• Constructive responses to failure involve separating oneself from the mistake, learning from it, and planning for future outcomes.

The constructive responses to failure involve:

• Separating yourself from the mistake: Recognizing that making a mistake does not define you as a failure.
• Admitting you got something wrong: Being able to acknowledge errors.
• Thinking about how to fix it: Adopting a mature and forward-thinking approach to address the mistake.
• Planning for the downside: When attempting something new, consider potential negative outcomes and how to minimize them.
• Having a feedback mechanism: Establishing ways to determine if things are going well or not, and seeking honest opinions from trusted individuals.

The three general responses to failure mentioned are:

1. "Forgive and forget": The drawback here is a lack of accountability and no learning occurs.
2. "Silicon Valley standard" (remember, blame, stigmatize, ostracize, and humiliate): The drawback is that when people are humiliated or put down for failing, they become afraid to admit mistakes, leading to a culture of "cover your ass" where no learning happens.
3. "Forgive and remember": This approach is presented as the most effective, balancing psychological safety with learning from mistakes.