By Toccara Arnold Alam, Board President, Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and social impact professionals must constantly innovate and take professional risks, because our communities and their needs are always evolving. Thanks to the Internet and social media, we often only see the positive side of what others are working on and rarely hear about those “oh no!” moments that everyone experiences. However, these unexpected setbacks and failures are often what bring us closer to our goals.
With this in mind, the Corporate Volunteer Council (CVC) of Atlanta recently hosted a thought-provoking program titled “Failing Forward: Turning Failure into Growth,” featuring a panel of esteemed professionals who shared their personal journeys of failure and success. Moderated by Jay Cranman, President and CEO of Hands On Atlanta, the panel included Tameka Rish, Senior Vice President, AMB Sports & Entertainment; Tony Conway, Founder and Owner, Legendary Events; and Perrin Bostic from the Office of US Senator Raphael Warnock.
Jay encapsulated the essence of the program by noting, “Innovation doesn’t come from playing it safe. To truly move the needle on the issues impacting Atlanta, we must embrace the courage to fail.” This sentiment set the stage for a candid discussion on the power of failure in driving meaningful progress.
Tameka recounted a pivotal moment when she organized a high-profile event that did not go exactly as planned. While sharing her story, she highlighted that sometimes we must consider not only the “what might go wrong” scenarios but also what happens if things go too well, thereby causing unexpected challenges.
Tony shared a humbling experience of pursuing a professional opportunity without adequate preparation, resulting in a negative review in a local paper. While Tony has more than recovered from this early stumble, his story emphasized the importance of leaning into your team, building faith through failure, and emerging stronger.
Perrin shared about not judging a book by its cover. He spoke about entering into one of his first public-facing meetings with a closed mind and then being pleasantly surprised that he had made some false assumptions. This experience left him feeling as though he hadn’t fully served his constituents as he would like and changed the way he approaches his work today. Perrin’s vulnerability underscored the importance of humility and openness in serving the community.
Jay aptly reflected, “It’s ok to take bold leaps – even when we fall. Because that is how we will make real progress in our city.” Failure, when embraced as a steppingstone rather than a stumbling block, has the power to propel us toward greater heights.
CSR, business, and community leaders all experience failure at some point or another. In the words of Henry Ford, “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” By embracing failure, we not only grow individually but also contribute to the collective advancement of our community.
