How To Embrace And Learn From Failure

When you read the book, Right Kind of Wrong: The Science Of Failing Well, you’ll gain a greater appreciation for the benefits that comes from failure, and how to embrace failure as part of your journey to achieving greater success. 

Author Amy Edmondson’s book and revolutionary guide will undoubtedly transform your relationship with failure. 

She defines failure as an outcome that deviates from desired results. Failure is a lack of success. Failure is different, explains Edmondson, from errors and violations. “Errors (synonymous with mistakes) are unintended deviations from prespecified standards, such as procedures, rules, or policies. Violations occur when an individual intentionally deviates from the rules,” adds Edmondson. 

After decades of award-winning research, Edmondson provides the framework to think, discuss, and practice failure wisely. Outlining the three archetypes of failure—basic, complex, and intelligent—she highlights how to minimize unproductive failure while maximizing what we gain from flubs of all stripes. In addition, she illustrates how we and our organizations can embrace our human fallibility, learn exactly when failure is our friend, and prevent most of it when it is not. 

“Every kind of failure brings opportunities for learning and improvement,” says Edmondson.

The book includes real-life stories from business, pop culture, history, and provides specifically tailored practices, skills, and mindsets to help us replace shame and blame with curiosity, vulnerability, and personal growth.

Amy Edmondson

Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School. Her work explores teaming – the dynamic forms of collaboration needed in environments characterized by uncertainty and ambiguity. She has also studied the role of psychological safety in teamwork and innovation.  

Before her academic career, she was Director of Research at Pecos River Learning Centers, where she worked with founder and CEO Larry Wilson to design change programs in large companies. In the early 1980s, she worked as Chief Engineer for architect/inventor Buckminster Fuller, and innovation in the built environment remains an area of enduring interest and passion. 

Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.