In one or two progressive companies I worked for, there was an understanding of the saying “Fail-fast, learn-fast”. In these companies, it was safe to fail. I even remember discussing a decision with a senior manager and whether the decision would work out. Eventually, we agreed to “Fail-fast, learn-fast” and dived in, preparing to reverse the decision if it didn’t go the way it was planned.

Fail-fast, learn-fast

In my training, I try to express this idea, but it’s a difficult concept for a lot of people as they tend to focus on the “fail” part. Failing can be expensive.

When I was back on the farm with my brother, we hired a digger to drain a swamp. That afternoon we saw the events as they unfolded.

The digger was opening a new part of the drain, and the heavy machine began to sink into the bog. Panicking, the inexperienced driver turned the tracks hoping to head for firmer ground, instead of just backing out the way he came. That was a mistake. The act of turning the tracks cut the top of the bog and the whole digger began to slide under the swamp. Firm ground to pull himself out with his scoop was too far away.

That was a mistake

At first light, on the third day, all that could be seen of the digger was about a meter of the top of the boom (the digger arm) showing above the swamp. About then several trucks turned up with two more massive diggers and the largest bulldozer in the country at the time – for the size of its winch. The brothers who owned the company joined us at our vantage point to oversee the operation.

After a few hours of operation, they had uncovered the digger, and the driver was informed that he had “volunteered” to strip down to his undies to climb into the cab where they would try to restart it.

We watched as the driver reluctantly waded waist high to the digger door, where mud and eels poured out all over him from the cab where he had to climb in.

mud and eels poured out all over him

In the end, they did get it out and we were talking to the brothers about the original mistake causing the situation. We asked what was going to happen to the driver.

The brothers then told us that the driver would need to supply a couple of crates of beer for the team, and the jokes would continue for some time, but he wouldn’t be fired, even after the huge cost to the company in both machine costs and lost revenue.

the whole team working on this now learned from that same mistake.

If they fired him and hired someone else, the new person may end up doing the same thing but keep this person on, and there will be no way that he would ever make that mistake again. That was guaranteed. More, the whole team working on this now learned from that same mistake.

It’s not about failing, or even about Failing fast. It’s about the learning. If we are not prepared to fail, we would never learn anything new, never stretch ourselves, and never become competent at new skills and situations.

I’ve even heard of one company who has a “fail-wall” where they display all of the things they learned, for others to also learn.

I have seen some great daily stand-ups, and I have seen some horrible ones where no-one is really committed and it’s a chore to attend. The difference is not really the person running it, but the mindset of the team.

Everyone at work is part of a team, but are they really team members?

Everyone at work is part of a team, but are they really team members?. In other words, are you like a close family, or more like a neighbour?

A neighbour might say “Hi” whenever you meet, and if they talk about what they have done on the weekend, they may give some non-committal answer about mowing the lawns.

are you like a close family, or more like a neighbour?

but in a great family you care what happens, you help out with your turn at the dishes and you know what your family is doing and has done. Whenever your family gets together you can’t wait to tell everyone what you did and what you’re planning to do next. You do that because you know that your close family will be involved and will want to know what you have been up to. There is trust, true interest, and involvement – and yes, a little bit of poking fun as well.

This is the same with a great close team. You can’t wait to tell everyone in the daily stand-up how you resolved that particularly tricky “thing” that you did yesterday, how you went into battle with that task and finally came out victorious. You tell them all what you are planning for today. You’re also really interested in what others are doing and might even want to help where you have expertise or experience – or just give some advise if you are neither.

Do we need to trial a bit of pair-work for our tasks?

So how are your Standups? A chore that you have to do, or something you look forward to? If it’s a chore and boring, then you might be lacking in trust. Bring it up at the retro and ask why are stand-ups boring? Are we lacking in trust? Are we not working closely with each other? Do we need to trial a bit of pair-work for our tasks? Do we truly know what our team members are working on? Do they need, or would they enjoy a little help?