Intelligent Failure: Lessons from Mistakes

Amy Edmondson, a professor at Harvard Business School, discusses the concept of intelligent failure. She distinguishes between mistakes and failures, highlighting that mistakes can be avoided with vigilance and care, while failures occur when desired results are not achieved. Intelligent failures, which occur in pursuit of a goal with good reason and appropriate risk, are valuable sources of new knowledge that can lead to innovation and success. Learning from failure can be challenging due to aversion, the belief that success is more instructive, superficial analysis, and reluctance to share failures. Recognizing the value of failure and approaching it with curiosity allows individuals and organizations to learn and grow.