How to fail and how to fail better? And how do we learn from others’ failures? As the goal of TEDxAmsterdam is to spread great ideas, it might as well be evenly interesting to share experiences of ideas that failed. What went wrong and what can we learn from it? Exploring this particular side of human nature, we had the opportunity to find examples of ‘human failure’ at #FAIL organized by Kom Je Ook?/Mediamatic in the Zuiderkerk in Amsterdam.
Pulling the plug
Mediamatic's #FAIL (photo by Govert de Jong, Mediamatic)
Seven speakers share their story about their effort for big art projects, where working hard didn’t necessarily lead to success. Museum director Erik Schilp tells us about the discrepancy in expectations between various parties, leading to difficulties realizing the National Historic Museum. He underlines the importance of having one individual ultimately responsible. “There have been some crucial moments when we were ready to pull to plug, but we didn’t”, Ryclef Riensdra (VandenEnde Foundation) says about their plans for the new DeLaMar Theater. During the day, support seems to be the most important ingredient for realizing projects. When others will become involved in your project: reach them a hand, show them your plans and let them even become part of the creation process.
Expectations
Reflecting on the last few years, Robin Lemmers (MuzyQ) emphasizes the importance of good relationships with your stakeholders. Surprisingly enough, efforts based on pure idealism instead of personal benefit might even work against you, Robin knows from experience. “It may harm your credibility”, he regretfully tells us, “as externals do expect you to strive for some personal profit as well”. Stressing the influence of public expectations, Pim Luiten (Amsterdams Uitburo) says that those expectations made his project Cultureplayer transform into a fast speeding train he just couldn’t leave. And he adds: “When expectations are high, the results can easily be disappointing.”
Observation
Did Mediamatic's #FAIL fail? Visitors fill in a poll (photo by Govert de Jong, Mediamatic)
A more cheerful sound comes from photographer and TEDster Hans Aarsman: “Within photography there is no failure. The only error you can make is the picture you don’t take.” This sounds similar to what Richard Branson, founder of Virgin, once said: “You fail if you don’t try”.
Like photos, all projects need sharp observation. Communications advisor Martijn Horvath teaches us that we don’t have to make up creative inventions; often the strengths of companies are already out in the open. In order to avoid failure we should carefully observe ourselves to find our most authentic message for the outside world, instead of creating a fake message.
So, what is failure?
Does failure mean that we have let people down? That we have lost a lot of money? Or that a project in the end wasn’t realized the way it was originally supposed to? Hedwig Fijen’s Manifesta project ended up in a completely different result, showing the limitations of EU politics. And although that was not what they wanted to achieve in the first place, it did give them something else.
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.” (Samuel Beckett).
When we evaluate the work we have done, when we learn from our mistakes and share our experiences with others, failures will be more than just different results. They will be the source of human developing. The honest stories at #FAIL inspire to see failures as something valuable and to use them for future development.
Further reading:
• www.mediamatic.net
Photography: Govert de Jong, Mediamatic
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