The Right Kind of Wrong

What This Is 🤔

A research-based exploration of failure — not as something to avoid, but as something to understand and manage wisely. The Right Kind of Wrong distinguishes between different types of failure and shows how learning, innovation, and improvement depend on failing intelligently.

The book reframes failure as a design and leadership challenge rather than a personal flaw.

What It’s For 🎯

This book helps readers:

• Distinguish between preventable, complex, and intelligent failures

• Build cultures that support learning without tolerating negligence

• Encourage experimentation while maintaining accountability

• Reduce fear and blame that block learning and innovation

• Lead more effectively in uncertain and complex environments

It is especially relevant for leaders, educators, innovators, and teams working with novelty, risk, and change.

What You’ll Find Inside 🧰

The book offers:

• A clear framework for categorizing different types of failure

• Research-backed insights from healthcare, aviation, technology, and more

• Practical guidance on creating psychological safety

• Examples of how leaders respond constructively when things go wrong

• Language for discussing failure without shame or blame

Rather than celebrating failure indiscriminately, the book emphasizes learning-oriented discipline.

How to Use It 🧭

This book works best as:

• A conceptual foundation for innovation and learning cultures

• Background reading for leadership and organizational development

• A shared reference to improve conversations about risk and experimentation

• A guide for designing safer, smarter experiments

It is most powerful when paired with real cases and reflection.

Key Takeaways 💡

• Not all failures are equal

• Learning requires psychological safety

• Intelligent failure accelerates progress

• Blame blocks learning

• Leadership shapes how failure is experienced

Pro Tips 🧠

• Use the failure taxonomy to depersonalize mistakes

• Encourage small, contained experiments

• Be explicit about learning goals before acting

• Model curiosity when outcomes fall short