At the recent LAST Conference in Brisbane, Graeme Mills and I took the stage with an honest session titled “Fail Loud, Learn Proud.” Rather than showcasing polished success stories, we felt it was important to lead with vulnerability and opened by sharing our own stories of when things haven’t gone to plan.
The session wasn’t just about airing mistakes, it was about celebrating the learning that comes from them. Through storytelling, reflection, and a bit of friendly competition (yes, there was a prize for the “biggest f-up”), the room was transformed into a safe space where failure was reframed as a powerful tool for growth.
Why Talking About Mistakes Matters
To us are GiveMore there are five key reasons why sharing failures is essential in high-performing teams:
- Psychological Safety: When leaders are open about their missteps, it signals that it’s safe to take risks and be honest.
- Growth Through Setbacks: Reflection helps teams extract meaningful lessons and avoid repeating the same mistakes.
- A Learning Culture: Normalising failure encourages experimentation and agility.
- Better Retrospectives: Honest stories lead to sharper insights and actionable improvements.
- Human Connection: Mistakes remind us that we are all human. Progress, not perfection, is the goal.
From Reflection to Action
As part of the session, we invited participants to reflect on their own mistakes and learning moments in small groups, share their stories, and vote on the most impactful one.
We were pleasantly surprised by how comfortable people were to share their stories with one another and the broader group. It showcased to us that by creating a safe space and being vulnerable ourselves, others felt comfortable to do the same and in turn learn from one another.
We wrapped up with practical ways to embed this mindset into everyday work, our ideas include:
- Holding retros that focus on what didn’t work and what was learned.
- Speaking openly about failures, especially if you’re in a leadership role.
- Creating a ‘we tried’ wall to document experiments and learnings.
- Recognising and rewarding people for trying bold ideas, even if they didn’t succeed.
The Takeaway
In a world that often celebrates perfection, GiveMore reminded us that real growth comes from getting it wrong and talking about it. By creating space for honest conversations, we build trust, foster innovation, and strengthen our teams.
Let us know what you think buy leaving a comment on my LinkedIn article here.