Failing Forward: Why Embracing Failure Is Key for Nonprofit Leaders

We all realize by now that unpredictability is baked into the DNA of the modern landscape, including the nonprofit sector. Nonprofits are adept at tackling social challenges of enormous complexity with limited resources and donor expectations that change and demand more insights on impact. 

Moreover, our country recently experienced a momentous election that significantly changed the landscape of our nation for generations to come. Regardless of what side of the political aisle any one of us exists in, we still have to support education, climate change and sustainability, healthcare, and people in need every day.

In other words, whatever we may feel or think of what’s happened, there’s work to do. And it is in this landscape that nonprofit leaders must embrace the idea of failure. During times of division and strife, nonprofit leaders should see that they can create the space for healing and support of people in all aspects of their lives. But it means embracing the misses. 

Failing within the sector is the path to change and innovation. As a social entrepreneur, I’ve spent over a decade with my team failing forward. In the process, I learned three critical strategies for failing forward. 

1. Reframe Failure With a Growth Mindset

Nonprofit leaders, including board members and even donors, should ask themselves when the organization fails at something if there's blame directed at managers or even the team. If so, it might be time to reflect and consider a growth mindset. Test countless ideas. Each could simply be a stepping stone for success.

When leaders and teams create a culture that’s intentional and focused on a growth mindset, it allows the freedom to change limiting behaviors. In turn, when teams realize that when plans don’t go to plan (when do they ever?) or even fail, it’s a chance to gather information and learn. No one said it’s easy, but it’s necessary. 

2. Create a Safe-to-Fail Culture

Something you learn as a leader is that culture is everything. So, it's essential to ask within an organization what's the culture that leaders and the team want to see. For example, is a culture of micromanagement, which is fear-based, something that leaders want to see? The chances are probably not. You can't micromanage innovation. 

A lot of times, fear of failure is deeply ingrained at nonprofits that face challenges. The path to getting beyond limited resources is to empower and foster creativity within a team. Candid talks should happen about experimentation and improvements, and leaders should allow for open conversations. 

3. Equip Teams to Pivot and Adapt

By now, leaders have read or heard podcasts to pivot and adapt ad nauseam. However, how many do it? There's a lot of talk about it, but how many nonprofits embrace failing forward, which means they have to pivot and make adjustments continuously? When organizations innovate, they constantly operate outside of their comfort zone. 

Leading a team that's adaptable to continuous change is a decision leaders make. Moreover, once they decide, they ensure that the team's culture does it as a daily value. So, that means continuously inviting new ideas and process improvements. It means listening to the people on the front lines. And it means allowing the space to try new things, fail and improve. 

Focusing on What We Can Change

Again, our nation has been through a bruising period, and it's going to take time to heal. It's not something that's going to change overnight. But nonprofit leaders have an incredible opportunity. They can start today by ending the divisions wherever they see them and focusing on the things they can change.

Let's face it. Poverty isn't going to go away. Children are still being born and need to learn how to become good citizens. The promise of healthcare and technology has yet to eliminate the need for organizations and people to support others with diseases. In other words, there's a tremendous need for change agents to focus on what can be done. 

For nonprofit leaders, donors and boards, this may be the moment when they need to reframe their thinking. They could take a hard pass on thinking that nonprofits need to exist with limiting beliefs and budgets, as my friend Dan Pallotta has long said. Perhaps the time has come to upend the very idea of traditional philanthropy. 

The divisions could be an opportunity to stop repeating bad habits and wondering why things don't improve. The moment we face is an opportunity for nonprofit leaders, boards and donors to create spaces for innovation. Funding can be directed toward failing forward and improving the lives of people. We each have a chance to be that change.

The preceding post was provided by an individual unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of NonProfit PRO.