Embracing Intelligent Failure

In this podcast episode, Amy Edmondson, a professor at the Harvard Business School, discusses the concept of intelligent failure. She distinguishes between mistakes and failures, stating that mistakes can be avoided through vigilance and best practices, while failures are outcomes that deviate from desired results. Edmondson argues that intelligent failures occur in pursuit of a goal, with good reason to believe that the attempt might have worked. These failures are appropriately small and bring valuable new knowledge. She emphasizes the importance of learning from failure, challenging the aversion to failure, and engaging in deep analysis to understand what went wrong and how to improve.