Failing Together: Key lessons on how to have constructive conversations about failures in development and peacebuilding
Authors: Jessica Baumgardner-Zuzik, Emily Janoch, Benjamin Bestor, Saurav Upadhyay
Publisher: Alliance for Peacebuilding
Publication date: March 2021
Abstract: Development and peacebuilding is about tackling complex problems with different stakeholders in contexts that change every day. There is no way to solve these problems without failing. But we are reluctant to talk about failure, especially on the record. Veronica Olazabal from The Rockefeller Foundation, Lane Pollack from USAID, and Leslie Wingender with Humanity United recently spoke about what it takes to learn from failure as part of the InterAction Evaluation & Program Effectiveness Community of Practice. Here are some key lessons from the conversation:
Lead by example
Plan for failure
Think in terms of risks
Build trusting relationships
Right-size your data
Invest in leaders who support change
Prioritize people you serve
Define your terms
About the Authors:
Jessica Baumgardner-Zuzik is the Senior Director of Learning & Evaluation at the Alliance for Peacebuilding.
Saurav Upadhyay is the Manager of Learning & Evaluation at the Alliance for Peacebuilding.
Benjamin Bestor is the Program Coordinator, Global Development Policy and Learning at Interaction
Emily Janoch is the Director for Knowledge Management and learning for CARE USA