Fail Forward Fast

Fact: you will mess up. It's not a maybe; it's a guarantee. Everyone makes mistakes. Even leaders. Especially leaders, because you often make calls in tough situations with limited info and tons of pressure. Errors? They're part of the deal.

But here's the real question: what happens after you screw up? Does a mistake shut you down? Do you freeze up, paralyzed by embarrassment or fear? Or do you use those mess-ups to get better and propel yourself and your team forward?

That choice – your response – that's what truly defines you as a leader. And that's where the idea of "failing forward" comes in.

Failing Forward? It's not about celebrating mistakes. It's not about aiming to screw up. It's about something way smarter: making your mistakes a competitive advantage. Seriously. Think about it. Everyone makes errors. But who are the leaders who learn the fastest from those errors? They're the ones who pull ahead. They turn stumbles into stepping stones.

Want to be that kind of leader? Want to make "failing forward" your leadership skills? Here's your guide. It boils down to four key moves:

4 Steps to Turn Mistakes into Momentum

So "failing forward" sounds cool but how do you actually do it? It's not magic. It's a process. It's deliberate way of responding when things go wrong. Start with these four steps:

ADMIT: Face the Music

The first step is crucial: you have to own the mistake. Completely. No dodging, no shifting blame and no weak excuses. It's just straight-up honesty. Look the error in the face and say, "Yep, I messed that up." This isn't about public self-flagellation. It's about integrity. It's about building a culture of trust where people know it's a safe environment to make mistakes – because the leader models that authenticity first. Admitting the mistake isn't a weakness; it's the first act of strength in turning failure into fuel.

PROCESS: Dig Deep to Find the Root

Don't just treat the symptoms. Go way deeper. Break down why the mistake happened. What were the real root causes? This takes effort. It means asking tough questions and digging into details. Resist the urge to just move on and forget it ever happened. Think like a detective. Investigate the breakdown. Track down the real reasons it went off track. This isn't about dwelling on the negative; it's about rigorously understanding the mechanics of the failure so you can prevent it (or something similar) from happening again.

PIVOT: Change Course Based on What You Learned

Learning without action is just… interesting information. Failing forward is about doing something with what you've learned. It's about taking those hard-won insights and using them to make real changes. Pivot your strategies. Adjust your processes. Update your plans. Translate those lessons from the mistake into actionable steps that shift how you and your team operate moving forward. This isn't about being flexible for the sake of it; it's about being strategically agile using feedback from reality (even when that feedback stings) to steer a better course.

SHARE: Spread the Word, Don't Bury the Body

Mistakes aren't just personal learning moments but team learning opportunities – if you handle them right. Don't hide your mistakes. Don't sweep them under the rug. Instead, actively share the lessons learned. Talk about what happened, what you figured out, and what's changing because of it. Make "mistake lessons" part of your team's shared knowledge base, not just something individuals figure out on their own in silence. This builds a culture of openness, where people aren't afraid to talk about failures and everyone benefits from each other's hard-won insights. Sharing failures isn't broadcasting weakness; it's building collective strength and smarts.

These four steps—ADMIT, PROCESS, PIVOT, SHARE—that's the fail-forward formula. Simple to say, sometimes tough to do, but incredibly effective when you make them habits.

And if you're wondering if this "fail forward" idea is really that important, think about this wisdom from Proverbs 24:16: "For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…"

This verse isn't saying it's good to fail. It's saying that even those who are in right standing (yes that's the meaning of righteous) people – leaders, teams, anyone striving for something worthwhile – will stumble. It's just part of the human experience. But the key isn't avoiding falls. The key is the "rise again" part. It's the bounce-back. It's the resilience. It's the "failing forward."

Don't miss this one. The very next verse in Proverbs (24:17) adds another principle, and it's one we often overlooked, but it's crucial for leaders. Proverbs 24:17 says: "Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart be glad." Why is this in a section about our own failures? Because true "failing forward" isn't just about what you learn from your mistakes. It's also about how you see mistakes in others – especially in those you see as "competition" or even "enemies." A leader who's genuinely committed to learning from failure doesn't celebrate when others stumble. Instead, they recognize that everyone is on the same messy journey of trial and error. They understand that schadenfreude (the emotion of pleasure toward another's misfortune) is toxic and that true leadership lies in empathy even in the face of others' setbacks. Failing forward isn't just a personal strategy; it's a leadership philosophy that shapes how you see everyone's journey, not just your own.

Your Fail Forward Focus: One Step Right Now

So, the big idea is clear: mistakes are going to happen. The point isn't to avoid them. The point is to use them. To learn from them. To fail forward.

But thinking about "ADMIT, PROCESS, PIVOT, SHARE" can feel like a lot, especially when you're actually in the middle of dealing with a real-life screw-up. So, let's bring it down to earth. What's one practical step you can focus on right now to get better at "failing forward" as a leader?

Maybe it's about:

Boosting Your Blame-Free Culture: Start consciously working to create a team environment where people feel safe admitting mistakes without fear of punishment or shame. Lead by example—be the first to own your errors openly.

Sharpening Your "Process" Skills: The next time something goes wrong, don't just react—investigate. Take the time to dissect what happened. Ask "why" five times. Push past easy answers. Get to the real root causes.

Building Your Pivot Muscle: Don't just talk about learning from mistakes; show it by changing things. Make sure that when lessons emerge from failures, they lead to concrete adjustments in strategies, processes, or team behaviors.

Amplifying Your "Share" Habit: Make it routine to share lessons from both successes and failures across your team or organization. Create simple, regular channels for sharing these insights, turning individual learning into organizational wisdom.

Pick just one of these areas to focus on improving this week. Seriously. Just one. Don't try to overhaul your entire approach to failure overnight.  

Start small. Start now.

Because here's the bottom line: mistakes are inevitable. But stagnation? That's a choice. Choose to fail forward, and you keep growing, improving and leading your team toward success. And that's a choice that truly defines a leader.

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REFLECT

1. How do I typically respond when I make a mistake, and what can I do to improve my reaction in order to turn failures into learning opportunities for myself and my team?

2. What systems or processes do I have in place to ensure that lessons learned from mistakes are effectively shared within my team and how can I enhance communication to foster a culture of openness about failures?

3. In what ways can I better support my team in embracing the concept of "failing forward," ensuring that they feel safe and encouraged to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and share their experiences?

RESPOND

Based on Your Fail Forward Focus: One Step Right Now, what's one practical step you can focus on right now to get better at "failing forward" as a leader?