The Value of Failure

It has been written by many others as well as myself on numerous occasions how the act of communication is fraught with a multitude of potential roadblocks, barriers, etc. In the effort to connect with another, the odds of one being successful are rarely as good as any of us would like. Further, the goal of actually making and maintaining a successful connection without misunderstandings or mixed signals getting in the way are as rare as Garfield the Cat leaving behind a fresh bowl of lasagna. The result, at least among some, is that many communication efforts that do not succeed to the fullest are viewed as being failed. This is not quite fair.


By definition, any attempt to communicate, despite one's motive, represents a contribution to the establishment of a connection between individuals or publics. This includes efforts that do not succeed. Suppose for example, one seeks to sell a new brand of denture cleanser to senior citizens and to do that they purchase advertising time on the cartoon network geared primarily for children. Such a strategy would no doubt quickly be found to be misguided as well as a waste of money and creative energy. In addition, the poor results would compel the producer of this new product to rethink their outreach plan and try something else.


Failure for any of us is part of our communication process. No one is accurately understood all the time. No one generates the results they wish in promotional efforts all the time. Never mind the reasons for this. Never mind who is at fault. The reality is when it comes to communicating, failure is part of the mix. This reality forces us to constantly rethink how and what we communicate with others. This is not a bad thing by any means. The more we do this the greater the odds are we will become more proficient and - dare I say it - successful at connecting with others. Thus, while failure may not always be fun, it sure is necessary.