Here's how you can overcome failure in a social impact project or initiative.

💣 In the dynamic world of social impact, failure isn't a setback; it's a forward leap towards greater understanding and improvement. When a project doesn't go as planned, it's a treasure trove of insights waiting to be unearthed. Delving into the reasons behind a project's stumble—be it resource scarcity, strategic missteps, or unexpected external challenges—equips us with the wisdom to fortify future endeavors. Embrace each misstep as a stepping stone to success, for the most impactful initiatives are sculpted by the learnings from past experiences.

Embrace the learnings but also document and share. Others will repeat your failures unless it’s documented. Try and point out and highlight opportunities in the learnings.

Failure is part of any journey, especially in social impact projects. Here’s how to overcome it: Acknowledge and Accept: Recognize the failure and view it as a learning opportunity. Analyze What Went Wrong: Identify the root causes, whether it’s lack of resources, poor planning, or external factors. Gather Feedback: Seek input from your team and stakeholders for valuable insights. Adjust Your Strategy: Use the lessons learned to refine your approach and make necessary changes. Stay Positive and Persistent: Maintain a positive outlook and stay committed to your mission. Resilience is key. Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate small successes to keep morale high.

O fracasso é muito importante para crescermos enquanto projeto de impacto social! Ouça as pessoas que atenda, colha suas percepções e absorve os feedbacks. Cada vez mais, traga as pessoas para o seu planejamento, para que elas se vejam no projeto e ele tenha mais chances de ser bem sucedido.

Failure provides valuable lessons. Embrace it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Analyze what went wrong, identify the root causes, and understand the factors that contributed to the failure. This approach turns setbacks into learning experiences, helping us improve future projects and initiatives.

After a project setback, it's important to ask for feedback from everyone involved, like community members, partners, and funders. They can offer valuable insights and point out things you might have missed. Their input helps you adjust your approach and make sure your next steps truly meet the needs of those you're trying to help. This not only improves your work but also strengthens trust and shows your dedication to making a difference. Feedback is really important to moving forward.

Actively seek feedback from stakeholders, team members, and beneficiaries. Their perspectives can offer insights that you might have missed. Constructive feedback helps in identifying areas for improvement and can guide the adjustments needed to get back on track. Open communication channels make it easier to gather honest feedback.

To paraphrase the aphorism, which I can't locate right now: we grow in direct proportion to our ability to receive and incorporate constructive feedback. Of course, while it's important to seek that feedback from multiple stakeholders in a given project or initiative, I do recommend curating that feedback. Not all feedback is equally useful. Having a curated group of stakeholders that you can rely on to be that delicate balance of uncompromising, encouraging, and candid can be transformative.

Based on the lessons learned and feedback received, adjust your strategy. Be flexible and willing to pivot when necessary. This might involve changing tactics, reallocating resources, or revising goals. An adaptive approach ensures that we can respond effectively to challenges and turn failure into success.

When overcoming failure in a social impact project, adjusting your strategy is crucial for achieving success. Reflect on what didn't work and why, then pivot your approach based on these insights. This might involve reevaluating your goals, engaging with stakeholders for fresh perspectives, or adopting new methods and technologies. By demonstrating your flexibility and commitment to learning, you show that setbacks are opportunities for growth and improvement. This adaptability not only drives the project's progress but also inspires confidence in your leadership and dedication to making a positive impact.

Compare the original project goals with the outcomes. Determine if the goals were realistic and achievable given the resources and timeframe. Adjust goals to be more specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Ensure they reflect the insights gained from the failure. Incorporate the perspectives of all stakeholders to create a more robust strategy. Make sure you have the necessary resources (financial, human, and material) to achieve your revised goals. Improve the processes and methodologies based on past experiences. Enhance monitoring of progress and outcomes. Ensure all team members and stakeholders are aligned, informed, and trained accordingly. Embed continuous improvement into the organizational culture.

“When you can't win by being better, you can win by being different. When you can't win by being different, you can win by being persistent." James Clear If you have exemplary leadership in place, could you figure out how to engage with them to find ways to improve daily? Being persistent will help you push through, but we have burnout for a reason. Get the small wins, iterate with realistic goals that provide forward momentum. Changing the world takes work. Be kind to yourself and the people around you. If it were that easy, you wouldn't be working on what you are working on, so keep going. The world needs you.

Build resilience within the team. Encourage a mindset that views challenges as opportunities rather than setbacks. Support each other through difficult times and celebrate small victories along the way. Resilience helps maintain morale and keeps the team motivated to continue working towards the project’s goals.

Leadership has a huge responsibility when it comes to fostering resilience because they model and set the tone for the culture of a group. Which is all to say, those in leadership roles, in the language they use and tone of their response, have a powerful opportunity to model resilience when a team encounters failure.

I agree. Many people have trouble working in a group, but that skill is crucial to being able to truly listen to others, and listening well is a key to creativity. If leadership doesn’t model that skill, then the organization loses a chance at being a cohesive whole. Hood point, Carlos!😁

Create an environment that encourages openness, mutual support, and collective problem-solving. Cultivate leadership skills that emphasize resilience, adaptability, and motivational support. Promote an organizational culture that values learning from both successes and failures. Develop the ability to quickly adjust strategies and plans in response to changing circumstances. Build a robust network of partners and supporters to provide resources, advice, and support during challenging times. Prioritize the physical and mental well-being of your team to maintain high morale and productivity. Establish achievable goals and expectations to prevent burnout and maintain motivation.

Re-engage with the community and stakeholders involved in the project. Communicate transparently about the challenges faced and the steps being taken to overcome them. Rebuilding trust and maintaining open lines of communication can help regain support and foster a collaborative effort towards recovery.

I have led numerous projects at both the corporate and social impact levels. One of the most important things I have learned is the importance of empowering stakeholders. It is crucial to get them on board and involved from the beginning so that they can participate in the conception, design, implementation and maintenance. it should be like their own project. Another important aspect is to add value to the services we provide. It is important to recognize the value of things, and one way to measure it is through a cost, even if it is minimal. I am passionate about impact economics and am always looking for ways to create positive and measurable change through my projects.

Keep the momentum going by setting new, achievable goals. Focus on incremental progress and celebrate each milestone reached. Sustaining momentum ensures that the team stays engaged and committed, making it easier to recover from setbacks and continue making a positive impact.

Digital transformation in the social sector is still a major challenge in the 2nd decade of the 21st century. In my experience of working with and supporting SME sized NGOs, I have observed the urgent need for a change of mindset in these organizations. They continue to be inward looking and overly dependent on public funding. They need to make a 180º turn and map their stakeholders and offer them specific value propositions. Prioritization rules must be applied (the "coffee for all" is no longer valid) and a less emotional and more objective approach must be sought. The key is to generate recurring revenue to keep your services current and to encourage innovation. I hope you share this vision of the future of the SME NGO.

I have failed lots of times doing social impact projects, from design to execution and evaluation. Each time, I've developed myself, and not been stuck on a fixed mindset of guilt. I always try to remind myself why I do what I do, and why I believe in what I believe. Reconnecting to myself makes me see things more clearly, and less personally, which helps me surmount challenges and try again.