February 26, 2026
Positive Links Speaker Series
The Science of Failing Well: How to Change Your Thinking to Lead (and Thrive) in an Uncertain World
Amy C. Edmondson
Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management
Harvard University
February 26, 2026
About the talk
This session explores a mindset shift that supports effective action in the face of uncertainty. This shift is well captured by the short phrase, “think like a scientist,” offered as a deliberate contrast to thinking like a (command-and-control) manager. Classically, managers supplied answers and plans and evaluated how well others executed on them. In contrast, successful leaders of scientific labs offer direction and questions that empower action and help others make sense of data. This is not about being more lenient or laissez-faire, but rather about a new type of discipline. Their model provides an analog that leaders in any industry today can learn from. In short, today’s leaders must abandon the discipline of control to embrace the discipline of learning. Key concepts covered include psychological safety, intelligent failure, and interpersonal skills for high-quality conversations.
Resource
- Read Amy Edmondson’s Book: Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well
