From Alex Proimos via Flickr/Creative Commons

Would you share a story about a time when you failed?

Recently I wrote about FailFaire, an event hosted by MobileActive.org that invites open discussion about failures in development. I love this concept because a) I’m a big fan of honesty and b) sharing stories and lessons can prevent us from making the same mistakes twice. It’s true most good ideas aren’t conceived in isolation – so isn’t it ideal to learn from those who tried before you?

Engineers Without Borders Canada agrees, so much so that they’ve created the website Admitting Failure for those of us in the social good world to publicly detail where we went wrong. Much like FailFaire, the overarching goal is to encourage people to see falling on your face not as shameful or embarrassing, but a necessary part of creating change.

Recently launched in January, it’s an admitted work-in-progress and the failures listed are a bit scarce at this point. So far you can read about the shortcomings of a GlobalGiving-supported soccer organization in Kenya; why an online community about climate change fell short; and how a CARE housing co-op project in Bangladesh missed all the right notes.

Of course, the challenges—such as pacifying donors and confronting our egos—remain. But it’s a dialogue worth pushing forward. And we’d love for you, the Idealist community, to be part of that conversation by leaving a comment below.

• Tell us about a time in your life when you took action on an idea, but it didn’t work out the way you planned.
• In the example that came to mind, what got in the way? What would have helped you at that point?
• What advice would you give others to avoid the same mistakes?

Leave a comment, help someone else learn from what you tried, and we’ll consider featuring you on our home page!

Confronting mistakes head on is often done in the business sector, but not so much in the nonprofit world. Why? There can be a lot at stake – maybe you have to answer to donors, or you work with vulnerable populations, or you’re worried about offending someone.

But mistakes happen. They happen often. And if we’re honest enough to admit our mistakes to ourselves and to others—and have a sense of humor about it—we can learn a lot.

Photo via Kristen Taylor (Flickr)

This is the philosophy behind FailFaire, an event hosted by MobileActive.org. The gathering focuses on errors related to MobileActive’s mission (using cell phones in development work). Attendees discuss how X project slipped through the cracks or why Y grant never came through. But instead receiving stern looks of disapproval, the atmosphere is open and supportive. Drinks and food are served alongside failures, and presenters are encouraged to be honest, light-hearted and even irreverent.

The idea is quickly catching on. The first FailFaire event was held in New York City this summer. The World Bank co-hosted an event in Washington, D.C. a few months later, and recently the Social Capital Market’s Conference copied the model and held one in San Francisco revolving around social entrepreneurship. The potential for FailFaire to be replicated all over the world, covering not only facets of the nonprofit sector but other fields as well,  is enormous.

If you’re failure-friendly, the site has a tip sheet of how to host your own event and a blog with some great stories and advice.

FailFaire could very well be the beginnings of a cultural shift in the nonprofit sector – and I have a feeling it won’t fail.