Freakonomics Radio 564. How to Succeed at Failing, Part 4: Extreme Resiliency
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Nov 2, 2023 
Gary Klein, a cognitive psychologist known for his pioneering work in decision-making, and Theresa MacPhail, a medical anthropologist studying pandemic preparedness, dig into the art of learning from failure. They discuss the innovative premortem technique for anticipating issues within teams. Additionally, they explore the cultural shift needed to embrace failure in education and startups, and how resilience can be built through open discussions about mistakes. The conversation highlights that facing challenges head-on leads to growth and unexpected opportunities.
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Adaptive Mistranslation
- Babak Javid discovered that TB bacteria, surprisingly, can benefit from moderate errors in protein synthesis.
- This "adaptive mistranslation" allows them to innovate and become more resilient.
The Pre-Mortem
- Use Gary Klein's "pre-mortem" strategy to improve plans and increase success.
- Imagine your project has failed and brainstorm all possible reasons why.
Air Force Pre-Mortem Example
- During an Air Force pre-mortem, a junior captain identified a critical flaw that others had missed.
- This led to a solution and ultimately saved the project.
