EMBRACING #FAILINGFUN: TEAM BUILDING WITH RESILIENT PLAY
Let’s talk about a perspective that might change the way you think about failure. I was recently inspired by Codie Sanchez’s insights on the value of urgency and Sarah Ghirardo’s encouraging words to “Move Fast. Fail forward and keep going,”.
Over the years, I’ve come to see failure not just as inevitable but as invaluable. Codie Sanchez recently emphasized the importance of developing what she calls a ‘muscle of urgency’—the ability to act quickly even if it means risking mistakes. This resonated deeply with me. I’ve discovered that a bit of urgency not only accelerates our processes but also fuels our creativity. In the day-to-day processes of work and life that usually looks like saying yes often, getting into action, assessing frequently, and pivoting when and however necessary.
Learning to Fail Forward
It starts by fostering leadership at work... Every employee is encouraged to "Lead from where they sit". If they have an idea, share it, if they have a skill & time to use it. Sarah Ghirardo’s mantra of, “Move Fast. Fail forward and keep going,” is a beautiful guiding principle. I have been known to say, "Fail fast, fail forward, and focus future." It’s about maintaining momentum, knowing that each mistake is not a setback but a step forward. One of my favorite quotable social media shares usually phrases it something like, "What didn't work out for you, actually worked out for you, read that again!" or comments on how "Rejection is just redirection."
I have learned (somewhat begrudgingly) to embrace these moments, understanding that each one brings me closer to the next breakthrough.
The Joy of #FailingFun
The concept of #FailingFun, was sparked by Caroline Hopper’s discussion on The Jess Connolly Podcast. They advocate for creating spaces where failure is part of the fun. It’s about allowing ourselves and our teams the room to experiment without fear of significant consequences. This approach is not just refreshing—it’s revolutionary. It is all about creating areas and moments where failure is not only safe and welcome, it's even encouraged. Employee development is the heart and catalyst of growth for any successful business. Great leaders are servant leaders there to grow and develop the people they hire. Team building should be part of that on a routine basis and not limited to seasonal retreats.
Implementing #FailingFun
I’ve wholeheartedly adopted #FailingFun in both my personal and professional life and it has been a game changer. I have held brainstorming sessions with clients where every idea is celebrated, and I personally have a ‘Failures of the Month’ running list. This practice not only demystifies failure but also builds a culture where innovation is born from the freedom to experiment.
Professionally, I have had a couple clients who jumped on board when presented with the idea and they have launched a five minute doodle contest at their weekly meetings. They encourage team members to be silly and have fun with it. One client lives by the motto, "The game is made up and the rules are all fake" which is really their way of saying as long as you come to play (show up and work hard) everyone will win. I connect on a semi-weekly basis with a group of other home service trades pro's and we talk strategies and successes. Once a month we share our horror stories, and the most horrifying tale wins "Epic Fail Tale" title for the month. This actually stemmed from a number of us sharing our strangest stories and being able to laugh at them now in hindsight.
Personally, this shows up in my life all over... I say yes to a lot of things in life and am what you might call "craft curious". I pick up new hobbies all the time. In the interest of transparency, I do not finish all of them. Sometimes I will get halfway through and see that it is epically ugly or supremely silly looking. I smile, take a quick picture of my fail for the record books, and either toss it or box it away. Truthfully, I do keep some of them to simply come back and try to learn again, or just laugh at. I have a daily routine of completing the New York Times mini-crossword and games like Wordle or connections. My Mom and I send each other our scores no matter where we are (same town or a country apart). There is an unstated competitiveness to it (we are a very competitive family) but at the same time we are mostly competing with the system or our score the day before. Do I lose? Sometimes... Full disclosure: sometimes I look for hints via google. That being said, most of the time, I put forth my best efforts for 30-minutes to an hour of "playing puzzles" and still fail. Oops... Oh well. I laugh, send my score off to my Mom with a note about how tough that one was, and go about my day.
Redefining failure as a positive force can transform how we approach challenges and opportunities alike. By fostering an environment where failing is fun, we can enhance our growth and encourage a more creative, resilient workforce. I encourage you to embrace and share your #FailingFun experiences. Let’s celebrate our failures together and transform them into stepping stones for success. What’s your most memorable fail, and what did it teach you?