The first newspaper I worked for as a freshly minted journalist had a monthly bulletin that doled out kudos and critiques to the writers and editors.
We would applaudcolleagues for snappy headlines, compelling writing, and beating the competition on a hot news story. The staff wasinvited to nominate the best news and feature articles, and the final winners were chosen by a rotating committee. This also helped shine a light on the unsung heroes of the copy desk, which highlightedmistakes caught before our readers ever saw them in print, and helped us learn what not to do again. The mistakes that did get through weren't ignored, nor were other areas that needed improvement. Everyone was encouraged to contribute.
One of the monthly “awards” I have learned to particularly appreciate over the years was called The Good Try that Didn’t Work.
Our editor, Max Jennings, believed passionately in helping people on staff try something different. Whether we were crafting a story, photographing a news event, or designing a page, Max didn’t want us to be afraid to butt our heads against perceived boundaries. He didn't believe in playing it safe.
One of his favorite sayings was, “If it ain’t broke, let’s break it so we can fix it.” So the Good Try That Didn't Work was a way to celebrate attempts to push beyond our comfort zones, even when those attempts fell flat. His influence fostered one of the most dynamic, creative, passionate organizations I have ever worked in.
I was reminded of this when I saw that Seth Godin had released a book called Poke the Box.
In a Q&A published on his Amazon book page, he says that conformity once was crucial to success, but compliance has become a killer in today’s competitive world. “We need to be nudged away from conformity and toward ingenuity. Even if we fail … we learn what not to do by experience and doing the new.”
So take the initiative to try something completely different. Maybe, if you're lucky, it will be a mistake and you'llhave a reason to celebrate and learn.