Creating a Culture of Learning Through Post-Mortems

Leadership can really shine during high-stakes retrospectives (a.k.a. postmortems). Teams get worried immediately following major failures, like a total outage. Customers are upset, company perception is impacted, and teams feel down. Times like that demand a leader who can simultaneously show stability, encourage transparent discussion, and steer the team toward productive resolutions. One of the most crucial initial steps is creating an environment where root causes can be identified. If you have ever been in one of these high pressure situations, you will know that they are often multi-dimensional, including a set of unforeseen conditions, lack of communication, insufficient process, and cross-functional elements. Right from the start, the leader should make it clear that the retros purpose is learning and prevention, not blame. Underscore a non-judgmental atmosphere, “We’re here to identify where we could have done better, not to single out individuals.” This tone encourages the team to share insights and challenges, ultimately leading to a deeper discussion. Beyond setting the tone, a leader should actively model the behaviors they wish to see: action, curiosity, improvement. When groups are knocked off their center, the leader plays a critical role to reunify the group and being laser-focused on finding paths forward. You can ask: What signals did we miss? Did we fail to communicate certain risks? Which assumptions proved false? Highlighting systematic or procedural gaps rather than individual errors fosters a sense of collective responsibility for solutions. Last, clear follow-through is important. Tell the team what you expect at the end of the retrospective: well-defined action items with assigned owners and timelines. Hopefully, you already have a documented process for retros. You can point to this and reiterate that the outcomes will be real changes that focus on the current failure, but importantly, prevention of the class of potential failures. While it’s necessary to provide an accurate account of what went wrong, it’s just as important to convey a measured plan for preventing a recurrence. During the period when all of the answers are not known, leaders often need to provide teams protection and time to make recommendations. If you do these things well, a leader can transform a moment of failure into a more resilient and proactive team.

The more mistakes a team makes, the more quickly they learn and more resilient they become… yet so many of the teams I work with are terrified of making a mistake! They have so much on their plates that they’re singularly focused on crossing things off their lists so the thought of experimenting with a new approach and having to redo it is soul-crushing. OR They’re operating within a prove-your-worth culture in which mistakes are attributed to personal failure and incompetence. OR There is no appetite for risk and the only acceptable way of working is to do things the way they’ve always been done. OR any number of other reasons top performers make themselves small instead of taking a risk that could be a win. This is bad for business. And for morale. When mistakes are seen as part of the process, teams feel safer taking risks, which leads to creative solutions and faster progress. Leaders need to focus on 3 things to encourage experimentation so their teams will risk making mistakes in pursuit of a win: 𝟭. 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲-𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 When we meet failures with compassion, we soften the emotional blow and decouple it from identity. With compassion, the individual is not a failure (fixed mindset)… they’re an innovator who tried something that failed (growth mindset). ❇ Tip: Normalize mistakes and conversations about mistakes by conducting regular retros for missteps, large and small. Emphasize the key learnings and takeaways, not the flawed logic or approach. No blame, no ego threat, no identity crisis, no problem trying it again another way. 𝟮. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 When learning is valued over perfection, teams are more willing to experiment, try new approaches, and push boundaries. ❇ Tip: Reinforce growth mindset as a core cultural tenet. Encourage team members to set personal development goals and allocate a budget to it. Even a small contribution can have symbolic & cultural value. Reward effort and improvement, not just outcomes and encourage voluntary share-outs or team-wide trackers. 𝟯. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Experimentation increases both the absolute number of failures and the failure rate. AND Done with systems, strategy and intention, it also accelerates growth, discovery and successful solutions. Establishing a system for experimentation allows teams to test ideas in controlled, low-risk environments where failure is seen as a step toward success. ❇ Tip: Implement a process for innovation sprints in which team members are encouraged to suggest & test bold ideas with clear guidelines on how to analyze & iterate based on the outcomes. These shifts to culture and process can have a massive impact. Teams that are encouraged to make mistakes ✔ learn more quickly, ✔ are more resilient and ✔ are more likely to take smart risks that can lead to sustainable, step function success.

I see organizations demand innovation without proper training on how to navigate failures- if our managers and teams are NOT trained on how to navigate failure - we stifle creativity and innovation! Creating a culture that embraces failure requires a deliberate and thoughtful approach. Here are strategies organizations can adopt through an empathy lens: 1. Promote #PsychologicalSafety: Encourage open communication and ensure employees feel safe sharing their ideas and experiences without fear of judgment. Recognize and reward individuals who demonstrate vulnerability by sharing failures and lessons learned. 2. Leadership #RoleModeling: Leaders should openly acknowledge their own failures and share the lessons they've gained from those experiences. Demonstrate resilience and a positive attitude towards setbacks, reinforcing that failure is a natural part of growth. 3. #Learning Opportunities: Frame failures as valuable learning opportunities rather than mistakes. Implement regular debrief sessions after projects to discuss both successes and failures, focusing on extracting insights for improvement. 4. Encourage #Experimentation: Foster a culture of experimentation where employees are encouraged to try new ideas and approaches. Provide resources and support for pilot projects, acknowledging that not all experiments will yield immediate success. 5. #Feedback and #Recognition: Provide constructive feedback that focuses on improvement rather than blame. Recognize efforts and initiatives, regardless of the outcome, to reinforce the importance of taking risks. 6. Celebrate #Progress and Effort: Celebrate progress and effort, even if the ultimate goal is not achieved. Acknowledge the hard work and dedication invested in pursuing innovative ideas. 7. Integrate Failure into #PerformanceMetrics: Include the ability to learn from failures as a positive attribute in performance evaluations. Avoid punishing employees solely based on project outcomes and instead assess their ability to adapt and grow. 8. Create a #Supportive Environment: Foster a collaborative and supportive work environment where team members help each other learn and grow. Avoid blame and focus on collective responsibility for outcomes. 9. Provide Resources for #SkillDevelopment: Offer training and development programs that equip employees with the skills needed to navigate challenges and learn from failures. 10. Understand Iterative #Improvement: Emphasize the importance of iteration and continuous improvement. Failure should be seen as a step towards refinement and progress. By implementing these strategies, organizations can shift their culture towards one that not only tolerates failure but actively encourages it as a pathway to innovation and improvement. --- EmpathifyU helps organizations catapult their Manager Effectiveness, Trust, Engagement & Retention Scores. Reach out https://lnkd.in/gZ_q5U_p #empathifyu