Sharing Failures
15 templates in this category
When to use this:
Best for addressing operational errors, bugs, or service outages that have directly affected customers.
Strategy:
This template cuts straight to the point. By admitting a mistake clearly and without excuses, you build immense trust and respect. It shows ownership and a commitment to transparency.
Template:
When to use this:
For dissecting failed projects, features, or marketing campaigns in a constructive way.
Strategy:
The classic and most constructive approach. It reframes a negative outcome into a positive learning experience, demonstrating growth, resilience, and a commitment to improvement.
Template:
When to use this:
To explain a significant change in business strategy or product direction that resulted from a failure.
Strategy:
This template tells a compelling story of how a failure was not an end, but a crucial turning point. It showcases adaptability and strategic thinking, turning a loss into a narrative of innovation.
Template:
When to use this:
When you can quantify the impact of a failure to deliver a powerful, concrete lesson.
Strategy:
This template adds weight and gravity to a lesson by attaching a real number to it. Quantifying the cost in time or money makes the failure more tangible and the lesson more impactful for the audience.
Template:
When to use this:
For a deep, educational post that offers a comprehensive analysis of a complex failure.
Strategy:
This is a detailed, educational breakdown of a failure. By dissecting the 'how' and 'why' step-by-step, you provide immense value and position yourself as a thoughtful, analytical leader.
Template:
When to use this:
To share the positive, character-building aspects that can arise from a significant setback.
Strategy:
This template reframes failure as a gift. It focuses on the positive outcomes—resilience, clarity, stronger team bonds—that emerged from the ashes of a failed project, promoting a positive and antifragile culture.
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When to use this:
For announcing the shutdown of a product or business with transparency and grace.
Strategy:
This is the ultimate post about failure. Handling the shutdown of a product or company with grace, transparency, and gratitude is critical. It preserves reputation and honors the journey.
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When to use this:
For leaders who want to build trust and share a powerful, personal lesson.
Strategy:
This is a personal and vulnerable post from a leader. By sharing a story of personal failure, they humanize themselves, build deep trust with their audience, and model a healthy relationship with failure for their team.
Template:
When to use this:
To dissect a strategic failure and highlight the danger of untested assumptions.
Strategy:
This template isolates a single, critical assumption that proved to be wrong. It's a focused analysis that shows intellectual honesty and the ability to challenge one's own core beliefs.
Template:
When to use this:
For addressing a service disruption by highlighting the speed and effectiveness of the response.
Strategy:
This template briefly acknowledges the failure but quickly shifts the focus to the immediate and positive actions taken to fix it. It demonstrates responsiveness, agility, and a commitment to customer satisfaction.
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When to use this:
For sharing a minor, low-impact blunder in a humorous and relatable way.
Strategy:
This template is for low-stakes failures that can be shared with humor. It makes the brand highly relatable, approachable, and shows that they don't take themselves too seriously.
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When to use this:
For B2B or 'build in public' audiences who value radical transparency and data.
Strategy:
This is an act of radical transparency. By sharing the actual (bad) numbers, you show undeniable proof of the failure. This builds an almost unbreakable level of trust with your audience.
Template:
When to use this:
To mend relationships and rebuild trust after ignoring customer feedback.
Strategy:
This template builds massive goodwill by admitting you ignored customer feedback and paid the price. It validates your customers' wisdom and publicly reaffirms your commitment to listening to them.
Template:
When to use this:
For a creative, scannable, and structured way to review a failed project.
Strategy:
This creative template provides a structured and scannable analysis of a failure. It's a unique format that shows a deep level of self-awareness and a structured approach to learning.
Template:
When to use this:
For addressing failures in service quality or customer experience and making a public commitment to improve.
Strategy:
This template is used when a failure has broken a promise to your audience (e.g., a lapse in quality, poor customer service). It acknowledges the failure and makes a public commitment to a specific, actionable plan for improvement.