Pill 034: Fostering a Culture of Experimentation

Failure is not the enemy of innovation—it’s its catalyst. To build a culture where experimentation thrives, consider this surprising tactic: celebrate failure in reverse. Instead of only recognizing successes, create a Failure Resume—a documented collection of failed experiments that highlight lessons learned and their strategic value.

This approach challenges traditional project management thinking by shifting focus from avoiding failure to extracting value from it. For instance, a study by Harvard Business Review found that organizations that systematically learned from failure saw a 30% reduction in risk aversion among employees [1].

To implement this tactic:

1. Create a shared repository where teams can document failed experiments, including what was tested, why it failed, and the insights gained.

2. Conduct monthly “Failure Reviews” where teams present their failed experiments, focusing on what was learned rather than who was responsible.

What would happen if your organization valued failed experiments as much as successful ones?

[1](https://hbr.org/2011/04/strategies-for-learning-from-failure)

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