Experiences

“Simply having experiences does not imply that they are understood”

Brookfield’s statement, “Simply having experiences does not imply that they are reflected on, understood or analyzed critically. Individual experiences can be distorted, self-fulfilling, unexamined and constraining,” (Brookfield, 2015) resonated with my experience as a project management instructor. Participants of my courses, seasoned business professionals, often share project failure stories. The recurrence of similar failures made me ponder the significance of merely experiencing a failure without ensuring meaningful learning, aligning with Brookfield’s insight.

Failures are inherent in business, offering valuable lessons. Project management, being no exception, emphasizes studying lessons learned. In my courses, recurring patterns in project failures highlight the importance of addressing root causes. The quote’s resonance prompted a deeper exploration of its relevance in the context of project management.

The business world unanimously acknowledges the crucial role of lessons-learned sessions in fostering team growth, echoed in statements from influential figures like Bill Gates, who asserts, “It’s fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” Despite this widespread recognition of the value of lessons learned, the project management community faces challenges in effectively translating failures into opportunities for improvement. The surveys show that the business world is not satisfied with the overall performance of the projects.

Failures, inherently intricate and memorable, often overshadow successes in our recollection. Understanding the nuanced reasons behind both success and failure demands reflection and analysis. Brookfield’s quote underscored the awareness that the interpretation of an event is subject to construction, potentially rendering analytical efforts futile. Biases, especially post-failure, can distort our understanding, shifting blame onto others and impeding the crucial learning and personal growth processes for project management professionals.

I often share Kaoru Ishikawa’s famous quote in my courses: “Failure is the seed of success.” Although failures can serve as the foundation or starting point for eventual success, it is essential to recognize that the realization of success from failure often depends on certain conditions, such as a growth mindset, creative thinking, and strategic insight, is essential. The courage to confront and learn from mistakes is equally crucial while remaining vigilant to personal biases. Embracing mistakes with courage and humility not only fosters individual development but also influences team culture and plays an essential role in transforming failures into seeds of success. This multifaceted approach aims to instill a resilient and adaptive mindset within project management professionals, enhancing their ability to leverage failures for sustained success.

This concept impacted my approach to handling the lessons learned section of my courses. I firmly believe that the process and the rituals of post-mortems are essential. Still, I was not very much aware that the way they were executed and the mindset of the participants attending those sessions were more important.

I will Integrate bias awareness sessions to help participants recognize and mitigate biases in failure analysis.

In addition to commenting on failures, I will focus more on thought-provoking, clean questions to encourage participants to reflect on their roles and responsibilities, such as “What could you have done differently to prevent this failure?”

This shift aims to enhance the effectiveness of lessons-learned sessions in promoting genuine learning and growth.

Reference

Stephen D. Brookfield (2015) The Skillful Teacher: on technique, trust, and responsiveness in the classroom. Published by Jossey-Bass. Third Edition