When I was young, I observed that nine out of ten things I did were failures. So I did ten times more work.
George Bernard Shaw
If you’re not failing every now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative.
Woody Allen
I took part in a small, short staff retreat today. Our executive director asked us a simple question: why did we come to work every day? What made our work compelling to us?
It was interesting to listen to my colleagues’ answers. We shared our joys and our frustrations. And we agreed that no one felt the need for defensiveness. It was good to realize that we don’t set up very many silos. And we’re not competing with one another. There’s room to try. We don’t always have to win.
Our executive director summed it up. “We need to fail. We can’t be afraid of failing. If we’re not failing, we’re not growing and learning.”
She’s right. And it’s something I’ve heard from other smart and brave leaders.
Think about how we build failure into our work. We test our appeals. We ask people to give us money – and risk being rejected. Our colleagues on the program side of the organization try new things. (We hope.) Sometimes we succeed. Sometimes we don’t. Often the failures have much more to teach us.
So, have you failed today?
Febe Galvez-Voth says
October 8, 2013 at 10:52 pmThis arrived as if on cue. It fits right into a discussion I had earlier today.
Mary Cahalane says
October 9, 2013 at 6:45 amI’ve got to remind myself every once in a while. Thanks!
Beth says
October 9, 2013 at 11:21 amFirst, what a great team you have! You are very fortunate.
Your post sent my brain thinking a lot. And we should always be striving to be better, trying something new (I once heard a speaker say that fundraisers should ask to do “pilot projects” because “doing a new thing” scares some higher-ups). And nonprofits are often not just late adopters but the LAST adopters.
However, I don’t like the binary choice: success/failure. Cannot lie success with attempting? Otherwise, keeping the status quo will be OK, but, little by little, bring in fewer relationships and money but won’t be labelled “failure.” Failure may come when we try to break with the status quo. Staying with the status quo equals no disruption. Disruption by *trying to change* might bring success or failure – but certainly teaches us something.
Mary Cahalane says
October 9, 2013 at 11:26 amIt’s funny, because in a way failing IS succeeding – assuming you learn from the failures. While trying to avoid failing usually results in failure.
As you say, if failure is part of an intentional experiment, it’s likely to bring success. It’s different than letting things go, or not trying. It’s trying and learning.