Embracing Failure: A Creative Manager’s Approach to Innovation

One of the most challenging aspects of managing a creative team is helping people see failure not as an endpoint, but as an integral part of innovation. In the fast-paced world of creative industries, the fear of failure can often stifle new ideas and halt progress. However, as I’ve learned from Ed Catmull’s Creativity, Inc., failure is not the enemy—it’s a necessary part of growth and creative breakthroughs. 

As a new manager, I’m incorporating this philosophy into my leadership style, helping my team shift their mindset from avoiding mistakes to learning from them. This shift is vital for cultivating a culture of experimentation, where taking risks is seen as a natural and essential part of the creative process.

Catmull’s Perspective on Failure as Part of the Creative Process:

In Creativity, Inc., Ed Catmull emphasizes that failure is not only inevitable but also essential to the creative process. He shares that Pixar’s success didn’t come from avoiding mistakes but from learning how to navigate and learn from them. According to Catmull, we often equate failure with incompetence, but in creative work, failure is often a sign that you’re pushing boundaries and exploring new ideas.

This mindset resonates deeply with me as I manage my team of creatives. We’re in the business of innovation, and that means venturing into unknown territory, where not everything will work out as planned. Catmull’s perspective helps reframe failure as a part of the journey, not something to be feared. It’s a stepping stone toward eventual success, and if we’re not failing occasionally, it’s a sign that we’re playing it too safe.

Shifting the Team’s Mindset: From "Avoiding Mistakes" to "Learning from Mistakes"

One of my primary goals as a manager has been to shift my team’s mindset from viewing mistakes as something to avoid to seeing them as valuable learning opportunities. This has required a change in both how I give feedback and how we approach projects as a team.

In the past, there was a tendency to play it safe, to stick with tried-and-true methods to avoid scrutiny or negative feedback. But I’ve been encouraging the team to take risks, reminding them that failure is not only accepted but expected in our creative process. We celebrate the lessons learned from missteps just as much as we celebrate our successes. This cultural shift has created a space where my team feels empowered to experiment, knowing that mistakes are simply part of the creative journey.

A key part of this shift has been normalizing failure in our discussions. During project debriefs, we now talk openly about what didn’t work and, more importantly, what we learned from it. This openness reduces the fear of failure and helps the team grow both individually and collectively.

Real-Life Examples: How Failure Has Led to Breakthroughs in Creative Industries

If we look at the history of innovation, some of the greatest breakthroughs have come as a result of failure. Take the Post-it Note, for example. Originally, 3M scientist Spencer Silver was attempting to create a super-strong adhesive but accidentally developed a weak one instead. Rather than scrapping the project, Silver and his team turned this "failure" into one of the most iconic office products of all time. 

In the world of film, Pixar’s Toy Story 2 was nearly a disaster during its production. The movie was riddled with problems, and the team even lost much of their work due to a technical error. But instead of abandoning the project, the team regrouped, learned from their mistakes, and ultimately delivered one of Pixar’s most beloved films.

These examples demonstrate that failure is often the precursor to breakthrough ideas. By embracing failure and learning from it, creative teams can push boundaries and create something truly innovative.

Embracing Failure and Encouraging Experimentation

In my journey as a creative manager, I’ve come to see failure as not just a possibility, but a necessity for innovation. By embracing failure and encouraging my team to see it as a learning tool, we’re creating an environment where experimentation thrives. We’ve moved away from a fear-based approach to creativity and are embracing the process, bumps and all.

As I continue to grow in this role, I’m committed to fostering a culture where failure is seen not as a defeat but as a stepping stone to success. By reframing failure in this way, I’m confident that our team will continue to push boundaries, take risks, and, ultimately, produce more innovative and groundbreaking work.