Are you working towards equity and inclusion, but feeling afraid to take risks and make mistakes? Do you worry that if you don't get everything right the first time, you'll be judged or criticized? Well, we’re here to tell you that failure is a natural part of the process. In fact, it's often through our mistakes and missteps that we learn the most. So let's dive into why it's ok to fail, experiment, and take risks when equity and inclusion is your goal.
Common Organizational Obstacle: Fear of Failure
One of the biggest obstacles organizations face in their pursuit of equity and inclusion is the fear of failure. Many people feel paralyzed by the idea of making mistakes or taking risks, worried about how they'll be perceived by others. This can lead to a culture of stagnation, where people are afraid to try new things or experiment with different approaches.
To overcome the fear of failure, it's important to create a culture of psychological safety. This means creating an environment where people feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes, without fear of judgment or criticism. It's also important to recognize that failure is not the end of the road, but rather an opportunity for growth and improvement.
In order to create a culture that embraces failure and experimentation, it's important to lead by example. Leaders should be willing to take risks and make mistakes, and be open about their own failures. This creates a culture of transparency and vulnerability, where everyone feels comfortable sharing their own experiences and learning from others.
By overcoming the fear of failure, organizations can create a culture of innovation and growth, where everyone feels empowered to take risks and experiment with new approaches. This is essential for achieving equity and inclusion, as it allows us to challenge the status quo and create a better future for all.
Embracing Failure
Failure is a natural part of practicing something new and unfamiliar. It's from understanding our failures that we learn, grow, and improve. With every mistake, we gain valuable experience and knowledge that we can use to make better decisions in the future. If you knew that you were not alone in facing this situation and that it was not unique to you, would you feel better about trying something new? Could you embrace failure and see it as an opportunity for growth, rather than running away from it?
The Value of Experimentation
One of the best ways to learn and grow is through experimentation. When we try new things, we open ourselves up to new possibilities and new ways of thinking. We also give ourselves permission to make mistakes and learn from them. Experimentation doesn't always lead to the results we want, but it always leads to progress. By experimenting, we gain valuable insights and feedback that we can use to refine our approach and make better decisions in the future. It's important to recognize that experimentation is not about achieving specific outcomes or reaching finalized conclusions. It's an opportunity to step into the unknown, allowing ourselves to be guided by what unfolds.
Understanding Fear & Overcoming It
Have you ever felt afraid to take risks or make mistakes? Maybe you worry about what others will think of you, or that you'll lose your job. But the truth is, these fears are often unfounded. When we take risks and make mistakes, we're not only learning and growing, but we're also showing others that it's ok to do the same. And by doing so, we become leaders who inspire others to take risks and experiment, creating a culture that values innovation and growth. So… what's holding you back from taking that next step outside your comfort zone? Remember, feeling fear is a natural part of the process, and a sign that you're challenging yourself to grow. Don't let fear hold you back from achieving your goals and making a difference.
The Importance of Humility
When we're working towards equity and inclusion, it's important to approach the process with humility. This means recognizing that we don't have all the answers and that we're going to make mistakes along the way. It's important to be open to feedback and willing to learn from others, especially those who have experiences or perspectives that differ from our own. By approaching the process with humility, we create a culture of inclusivity and collaboration, where everyone's voice is heard and valued.
Failing Forward
When we talk about embracing failure, it's important to note that this doesn't mean simply accepting failure and moving on. Rather, it's about failing forward. Failing forward means using our mistakes and failures as opportunities for growth and improvement. It means analyzing our failures, identifying what went wrong, and using that information to make better decisions in the future.
Failing forward requires a mindset shift. Instead of seeing failure as a negative, we need to see it as a positive. We need to recognize that failure is an essential part of the learning process, and that we can't grow and improve without it. When we fail forward, we're not just bouncing back from failure, we're using it as a springboard to propel ourselves forward. We're taking risks, experimenting, and learning from our mistakes, all in the pursuit of a better future.
So the next time you make a mistake or experience a failure, don't be discouraged. Embrace it, learn from it, and use it as an opportunity to fail forward.
Recognize That You Have What It Takes To Begin The Work
In a world where we are constantly striving to achieve our goals, it can be easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged when we don't see immediate results. However, as Courtney Harge, the CEO of OF/BY/FOR ALL, reminds us, there is beauty in the imperfection of our journey towards success. She emphasizes that there will never be a perfect moment when all the necessary resources and motivation align to make our dreams come true. But this is not a setback, it's actually a gift. It means that we already possess everything we need to make a difference in our own lives and in the world around us.
We can take comfort in the fact that we are enough to make significant changes in the world, regardless of how small they may seem. Our attention and intention are powerful tools that can help shape the future. It is our duty to focus them on the things that matter most. So, let us not be discouraged by the setbacks and challenges that we face on our journey towards success. Instead, let us embrace the imperfections and trust that we already have everything we need to create the future we desire.
Addressing Privilege and Harm
An important part of this conversation — especially because we are talking about equity — is to recognize the role of privilege and the capacity for harm, which are both present in any relational or equity based work we attempt to do. In reading this article, you may have started to think about your own resistance to getting started in equity work for yourself or for your organization. Take a moment to reflect on how your own identities and privilege status(es) may play a role in that resistance. We may occupy a space of privilege that gives us the comfort and the ability to delay this work (temporarily or indefinitely), even if our present conditions are actually perpetuating inequity and causing harm to the communities we say we want to serve.
On the flip side, privilege within our institutions based on role, tenure, and social identity might make it easier for certain people to take risks than others. Consider that in terms of job security and the real consequences (both real and perceived) of unconscious bias based in racism and anti-blackness, taking risks or experiencing failures or mistakes may result in very real consequences for BIPOC employees versus White employees. Consider also how BIPOC employees may be burdened with greater labor (not only task/leadership labor, but also emotional labor) than White employees. How might White employees own the role and opportunities in their own privilege to step up in different ways to balance the labor of equity work, and also take more risks to push the work forward, knowing that they may be less subject to consequences than their BIPOC colleagues? And how can White staff members explore doing this in partnership and collaboration with BIPOC colleagues based on empathy, equity and respect to avoid the dynamics of White Saviorism? These are HARD and UNCOMFORTABLE questions! But these kinds of questions are part of the internal work required to become more equitable from the inside out, which ultimately is what makes this work more honest and sustainable.
It’s important to acknowledge that failures and mistakes are inevitable and part of the process - but so is harm. No one wants to commit harm. But as in any relationship that we desire to cultivate and invest in, we all have our blindspots, our learning curves, our gaps in knowledge and experience that make it both likely and inevitable that we will harm others along the way. We are all human. While harm feels terrible, and carries real consequences, we cannot let the possibility of it keep us from doing the important work that we know we must do to build the liberatory world and future we want to see. That does not mean that we can commit harm without accountability. When we make a misstep with a community, it can result in a setback in the trust that was developed. If we pretend that the harm didn’t happen, or do not commit to the necessary work of addressing and repairing that harm with humidity, collaboration, and feedback, any trust that existed can be damaged potentially forever. Ultimately, a mistake alone is not usually the basis for broken relationships between institutions and communities, but the unwillingness or inability to engage in principled conflict and repair is. It is also vital to remember that repair must always be informed by the needs and experiences of the harmed person or community, which requires some basis of trust and relationship.
This is hard work… how do you go about making yourself vulnerable to making mistakes and repairing relationships as you go? There’s no one right answer, but partnering with a program like the Change Network can help you work through those nuances and figure out how to be in relationship with communities with integrity. Our coaches, tools, and curriculum help guide organizations just like yours through questions and processes for repairing harm so you can learn from mistakes, and stop perpetuating oppressive dynamics.
Your Friendly Reminder and Pep Talk!
It's important to remember that failure is inevitable when working towards equity and inclusion and that perfection is not expected. We can be encouraged and remind ourselves along the way to embrace failure, experiment, and take risks. When we do, we not only learn and grow, we also inspire others to do the same. By approaching the process with humility and openness, we create a culture of inclusivity and collaboration, where everyone's voice is heard and their experiences valued. It takes courage to challenge the status quo and push for change, especially in the face of resistance. But without this bravery, we can't hope to achieve true equity and inclusion.