Opportunities don’t stand still. By the time you’ve fine-tuned every detail, the moment may have passed. Some of the best ideas never see daylight, not because they weren’t strong, but because their launch got delayed chasing perfection.
Whether you’re leading a business, nonprofit or new initiative, your edge comes from action, not polish. The “fail quickly” mindset is about moving forward with purpose, getting your idea into the world while it’s still relevant, then improving it in motion.
It’s not about lowering the bar. It’s about raising your tolerance for iteration, feedback and growth. Because progress depends less on being right at the start and more on being willing to learn fast.
That’s the spirit behind the “fail quickly” mindset. You don’t need flawless rollouts; you need forward motion. Releasing early kick-starts the real work – testing, learning, improving. It’s not reckless, it’s responsive.
But teams don’t take risks unless they feel safe to do so, and leadership sets the tone. Giving people room to take smart risks without fear of blame is essential. If your team sees you reacting harshly to missteps, they'll play it safe. But if they see you adjusting course in real time, they’ll follow your lead.
Speed doesn’t mean sloppy, it means relevant. Failing quickly shouldn’t sacrifice quality. It’s about activating the Continuous Improvement Cycle – launch, learn, improve, repeat. It keeps teams sharp and ideas relevant. The sooner you begin, the sooner you’re solving the right problems.
The “fail quickly” approach was critical during my time at Fort Lewis College in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. We had to make decisions fast, with limited information and constantly changing conditions. Whether it was shifting to remote learning, quarantine protocols or campus operations, we couldn’t wait for perfect plans. We had to move quickly, communicate clearly and adjust as new realities emerged. That experience still shapes how I lead today.
In our current landscape, adaptability matters more than polish. Perfection is a moving target, and chasing it often leads to missed opportunities. Markets shift, customer needs evolve and the best time to launch is before you’re fully “ready.”
- Start with the solution. What’s the essential benefit your idea provides? Launch that first.
- Create feedback loops. Use surveys and usage data to understand what’s working.
- Set short review cycles. Don’t wait six months to evaluate. Check in weekly or monthly.
- Normalize public iteration. Let your team improve in the open, without shame or finger-pointing.
The goal isn’t to fail. The goal is to learn fast enough that mistakes become momentum. That only happens when you drop the perfection standard and shift the focus to iteration.
Relevance isn’t earned by getting it perfect. It’s earned by getting it moving.
If you’re holding off on launching a project, program or partnership until it’s airtight – don’t bother. It’ll never be perfect. Move at 80% to 90%. Build the plane in flight. Fail quickly, improve continuously and deliver value sooner.
Jeff Dupont is CEO of Durango Chamber of Commerce.
