Embracing Failure to Cultivate Innovation with Amy Edmondson

The Gartner Talent Angle

In their pursuit of heightened productivity, organizations are leaving little room for failure. However, failures are an inevitable part of the innovation process and often serve as a precursor to breakthroughs. By solely focusing on productivity, organizations may be missing out on valuable opportunities for innovation that could propel them forward. In the worst-case scenarios, a failure-adverse climate can lead employees to hide concerns or problems, which can lead to potentially catastrophic issues.

Amy Edmondson, the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School and author of "Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well," shares her expertise on the Talent Angle podcast, offering insights on how organizations should shift their mindset toward failure and embrace it as a catalyst for growth and improvement.

Amy C. Edmondson, the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, is a management scholar best known for her research on psychological safety and team learning. She has been recognized by the biannual Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers since 2011 and was ranked No. 1 in 2021 and 2023. She is the author of eight books, including her most recent book, Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well, and more than 100 academic articles.

Jessica Knight is a vice president of research in the Gartner HR practice. She leads research teams to identify best practices and new opportunities to address HR executives’ most urgent challenges. Her areas of focus include employee experience, organizational culture, change management and the future of work.