Analysis | How I learned to love failure … and the success that followed
Cultivating a corporate culture of being welcoming and open to mistakes can be compatible with one that values stability and control
In the latest study by the Economist Intelligence Unit, companies in two Indian cities – Bangalore and Mumbai – registered the greatest confidence in how their local environment supports digital transformation. Five other Asian cities including Beijing, Jakarta, Manila, New Delhi and Shanghai ranked in the top 10.
Yet there were six Asian cities ranked in the bottom 10, most of whom were surprisingly forerunners in Asia’s economic boom – Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Osaka, Taipei, Tokyo, and Yokohama.
To resolve this contradiction, we need to understand that a catalyst underlying Asia’s economic transformation from third world to first is a motivation not to lose an opportunity.
While driven to want to achieve more, some Asian cultures may have cultivated a “take the bulls by the horn” attitude. But others may have been held back by a lack of confidence and a culture that sees errors or failures as a blemish against someone’s name. The notion of “face saving” or not wanting to be publicly embarrassed, a social phenomenon prevalent in many Asian countries, is consistent with mistake avoidance.
But in a fast changing, so-called VUCA world (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) where innovation is key, we need to embrace making mistakes as part of change.
Put another way, making mistakes is crucial for innovation. As Albert Einstein said: “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” After all, trying new things is literally what innovation is about.
