154: Leading Through Failure – Unlocking the Power of Intelligent Risk
Why the Best Business Leaders Build Cultures That Learn From What Goes Wrong
“Failure is not the opposite of success—it’s often a necessary step toward it.” — Amy Edmondson
We’ve all heard the buzzwords: Fail fast. Fail often. But what if that mindset is missing the point?
In this episode, Joey and Tommy challenge conventional thinking on failure. Drawing from Amy Edmondson’s research presented at the Global Leadership Summit, they introduce a more nuanced—and far more productive—approach: Intelligent Failure.
What is Intelligent Failure?
Edmondson classifies failure into three types:
Basic Failures – Obvious, avoidable errors due to oversight or negligence.
Complex Failures – System-level breakdowns where small issues compound into larger disasters.
Intelligent Failures – Carefully scoped, calculated risks taken in pursuit of learning.
Intelligent failures occur in new territory. They’re informed by research. They aim for a defined goal. And crucially, they are no larger than necessary to teach a valuable lesson.
Why Most Companies Miss the Mark
There’s a reason failure still carries so much stigma: fear. Fear of looking incompetent. Fear of being blamed. Fear of bringing bad news to leadership. Joey and Tommy discuss how this fear breeds silence—and silence kills innovation. The antidote? Psychological safety. Leaders must model an open, calm, and curious response to failure. Otherwise, teams won’t risk learning.
“If your team is afraid to bring you bad news, you’re not just missing the failures—you’re missing the insights that come with them.” — Joey Brannon
How to Create a Culture of Intelligent Failure
Build Structured Feedback Loops
Axiom uses After Action Reviews (AARs) to capture lessons post-project and pre-mortems to anticipate obstacles before launch.Make Failure Normal—Not Fatal
Celebrate when someone takes a calculated risk and shares what they learned. This reinforces the kind of behavior you want to see.Ask for Feedback on Your Response to Bad News
Joey suggests asking a trusted team member to anonymously gather feedback on how you respond when things don’t go as planned. You might be surprised.Empower Ownership
Don’t just delegate tasks—delegate decisions. Give people authority, not just responsibility. Yes, they’ll worry. That’s growth in action.
A Real-World Example
Joey shares how a bold hiring move—bringing on three advisors instead of one—ultimately resulted in only one long-term fit. Painful? Absolutely. But the insight gained on recruitment, onboarding, and team fit now guides Axiom’s growth with clarity and confidence.
Final Thoughts
Failure isn’t something to avoid or chase blindly. It’s something to engineer. When done intentionally, it becomes a powerful tool for learning, growth, and innovation.
So ask yourself:
Is your team failing intelligently?
And more importantly, are you letting them?
Failure, done right, can fuel long-term success.
👉 Want help cultivating a culture of intelligent failure in your organization? Reach out to the Axiom team today.
References and Downloadable Resources:
Episode 154: Leadership Guide
Amy Edmondson: Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well
