Failure Bow
In many organizations, Failure is a dirty word. Yet it is inevitable. When we try to hide a failure, our stress levels increase, and it becomes harder to recover from the mistakes we make. Enter Matt Smith, an improv performer and inventor of the Failure Bow. Improv results in a lot of failure, and so finding a way to get over it is essential. From personal experience, when I feel I’m failing in improv scene, it is increasingly hard to support my scene partners.
The Failure Bow is a simple technique, one I often use in my workshops. Here’s how I do it:
- Stand up and bow
- Say “I failed at …”
- then “here’s what I learned from it.”
If a group has never seen this before, there will be some nervous laughter. But it’s a great teaching moment. I’m showing the group that it’s okay to admit failure. In future, the group will be more willing to admit their own mistakes.
As the person who is failing, I also gain because it reduces my stress levels, I’ve acknowledged my mistake, and I can focus on recovering from it.
Used well, the Failure Bow also helps improve the team’s feelings of Psychological Safety.
Resource Links
- The Failure Bow: Matt Smith at TedX
- The Failure Bow - Tobias Mayer is the person who introduced me to the concept.
- The Failure Bow - Bob Galen also warns of potential pitfalls.
- HBR - Go Ahead Take a Failure Bow