Today is recognized as “International Day for Failure.” Observed annually on October 13, it’s an opportunity to reframe how we perceive mistakes and setbacks.
Failure seems like an odd thing to celebrate, but when you consider the story behind International Day for Failure, the reasoning makes sense.
International Day for Failure originated with a group of students at Finland’s Aalto University who wanted to encourage entrepreneurship. They recognized that Finland needed more small businesses and startups, but the country’s cultural aversion to failure often discouraged people from pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities.
Many aspiring business owners were reluctant to take risks because they feared the embarrassment and negative consequences associated with unsuccessful ventures.
To challenge this mindset, the students proposed dedicating a day to celebrating failure. Their hope was that normalizing failure as a natural part of growth and innovation would inspire more people to take chances, pursue their ideas, and launch new businesses. What began as a student initiative eventually grew into an internationally recognized observance.
Failure can be an invaluable part of the growth process that leads to eventual success, especially when it comes to teamwork. Good teammates embrace this reality. What they don’t do, however—and what helps prevent them from becoming bad teammates—is continually repeat the same mistakes.
Sometimes, avoiding that trap is simply a matter of mindset.
Thomas Edison developed many of the world’s most influential inventions, including the phonograph, motion picture camera, and practical incandescent lightbulb. A famous quote attributed to Edison captures his perspective on failure: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
His response embodies the spirit of persistence and learning from repeated failures that can lead to breakthroughs. If your team is struggling, has plateaued, or is otherwise falling short of expectations, Edison’s example is one worth emulating.
The difference between good teammates and bad teammates isn’t necessarily how often they fail. It’s how they respond when they do. Bad teammates tend to make excuses, assign blame, or conceal their mistakes to protect their reputations.
Good teammates take ownership of their failures. They recognize that acknowledging a mistake isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s an opportunity to improve. More importantly, they understand that their response to failure affects more than just themselves. It affects everyone who depends on them.
Good teammates possess the humility to acknowledge their missteps, learn from them, and try again. Then, they share their tribulations and lessons learned, inspiring others to grow from their experiences.
There’s tremendous value in that willingness to share. When teammates openly discuss what went wrong and what they learned, they spare others from having to discover those lessons the hard way.
Equally important, good teammates recognize that how they respond to the failures of others matters, too. Ridicule, blame, and humiliation discourage people from admitting mistakes and taking risks.
Encouragement, accountability, and a desire to help fellow teammates create an environment where people feel comfortable acknowledging their shortcomings and learning from them. Instead of allowing failure to become a source of shame or division, good teammates turn it into an opportunity for collective growth.
Their willingness to show vulnerability and selflessly share their experiences with failure is often precisely what makes them good teammates.
Remember, unshared knowledge is just another form of selfishness.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
