Business writers have always worshiped at the altar of success, which makes the latest management fashion all the more remarkable. The Harvard Business Review devoted its April issue to failure, featuring, among other contributors, A.G. Lafley, a successful ex-boss of Procter & Gamble, who proclaims that "we learn much more from failure than we do from success."
The cover of the current British edition of Wired magazine reads "Fail! Fast. Then succeed. What European business needs to learn from Silicon Valley." IDEO, a consultancy, has coined the slogan "Fail often in order to succeed sooner."
There are good reasons for the failure trend. Success and failure are not polar opposites: you often need to endure the second to enjoy the first. Failure can indeed be a better teacher than success. It can also be a sign of creativity.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Fail Often, Fail Well
The Economist published a special on entrepreneurial failure:
Why Women Aren’t C.E.O.s, According to Women Who Almost Were
"It’s not a pipeline problem. It’s about loneliness, competition and deeply rooted barriers." Read more in the NYT .
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Even women who earn overwhelmingly positive performance reviews are told that they have ‘personality flaws,’ a new study finds. The double...
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Many talented rural students don't go to elite schools, because they are unaware of the options. Read more in the NYT . Thanks, +Ju...