9. Normalizing failure

Mistakes and failures provide valuable learning opportunities if approached with curiosity and an open mind. Unfortunately, failure is often associated with shame and fear, and can diminish self-confidence and motivation, especially if people feel isolated in their experience or are operating in a biased environment where they may feel they must meet higher standards than others in the team. This makes people less likely to share or take responsibility for their failures and valuable learning opportunities are lost.

Taking responsibility for our mistakes and taking the time to reflect on failures or negative feedback, enables us to develop our professional skills and grow. To create a safe space in which leaders can share and learn from each others’ failures, we include a FailLab session in our WILD Forums, and organize standalone FailLab events. In these sessions, women share their stories of failure and learning, and the facilitated online chat widens the discussion further.

Participants have said that hearing women talk about failures similar to their own has affirmed their experiences, inspired and empowered them and shifted their perception of the value of failure. This has easily been the best session of the conference. “ “

Thank you for baring your truths. It empowers and enables all of us.

So empowering! Loved the speakers!

This session was amazing!