Harvey heads a company that builds stairways and ramps. One of his lead scientists, Carrie, has an idea to create an outdoor stairway that automatically adjusts to the slope of the ground. Her research is very well done and provides some interesting discoveries, but her project does not succeed. How should Harvey deal with Carrie's failure to complete her project successfully?

Question

A) ridicule her without formally punishing her to discourage others from doing what she did
B) terminate her employment because she wasted valuable company resources
C) ask her to see if she can apply her results to another project that will work
D) put her in charge of other scientists whose projects were successful
E) allow her to work on probation until she pulls off a successful project

Answer 1

C) ask her to see if she can apply her results to another project that will work
As counterintuitive as it may seem at first blush, celebrating a good-faith flop can be vital to the innovation process. Failure, managed properly, spurs learning, growth, and future successes. Innovative companies have many balls in the air at all times, with many people trying many new ideas. Most are strikeouts, but through this process, a few home runs turn a company into an innovative star.