BoSUSA24 | Angil Tate | Leveraging Failure to Shape Winning Teams

No matter your role or seniority, it’s critical to shift your mindset on “losses” and failure – from impactful cross-functional collaboration, to managing up, and cultivating a psychologically safe team.

Angil is a Design Leader shipping mobile/web apps at WillowTree. With a portfolio across travel/leisure, financial services, food/beverage, healthcare and entertainment she has a diversified well of experience to share. She’ll highlight failures she’s encountered while shipping software in a client-facing, cross-collaborative environment and how those failures came to be leveraged to deliver great work.

Whether you lead or contribute your team, you’ll leave with actionable strategies and tactics to help you transform setbacks into springboards for success.

1. YIKES.

2. Failure is a reliable advisor for winning.

3. Without failure, we can’t reach innovation .

4. Bloom’s Taxonomy

5. It’s not enough to just remember our losses. For failure to serve as a reliable advisor we have to intentionally evaluate them so that we can leverage them for creativity and growth.

6. SYLLABUS

7. LESSON #1: FOSTERING COLLABORATION

8. THE SITUATION What had happened was… On a vague and chaotic engagement Brilliant team of designers, strategists, and content experts - all seniors We were struggling to find a path forward

9. My strategist was new Our roles overlapped She thought designers just execute but not strategize or solution with the team We lacked shared understanding of how to work together THE CHALLENGE It got a bit sticky…

10. I viewed my teammate as an enemy I was more focused on what was wrong than moving forward THE LOSS *face palm*

11. There was so much tension, our team didn’t accomplish much for weeks and we had little clarity THE IMPACT Yikes

12. I pulled our rubrics to understand expectations and find the tension Made a venn diagram in FigJam showing where our roles coincide and where they are unique Added some context and ethos about our team so she could better understand SLAM DUNK A win is a win

13. During our next 1:1 we went through this document and the we unlocked a major key: we discussed ways to amplify each other’s unique position and where to team up in the overlap. SLAM DUNK A win is a win

14. Effective leaders know who is on the field and ensure the players understand their positions.

15. LESSON #2: THE FEEDBACK LOOP

16. Positive feedback serves a good purpose. …and to drive our work we need to be comfortable and confident delivering and receiving constructive feedback.

17. Long-term project working alongside my lead and associate director while I was growing as a mid-level product designer Our relationship was tested when the client provided some constructive feedback that put us on the defense THE SITUATION What had happened was…

18. While I was leading a design review with the client my teammate interjected while feedback was being given I felt like he took the reins and didn’t allow me the space to receive and address what was said That moment felt like he didn’t trust me or view me as capable THE CHALLENGE It got a bit sticky…

19. H e shared his thoughts after the meeting and I got to work on refinements Thinking everything was okay I saw him later and asked if he was open to some feedback His response was defensive and poured salt into my open wound THE CHALLENGE It got a bit sticky…

20. Rather than open up about how these interactions affected me, I gave him the cold shoulder and secretly resented him I refused to provide any explanation to my change in behavior I wasn’t willing to be honest and confront it because I felt justified THE LOSS *face palm*

21. We were no longer receptive to one another or collaborating as openly, which impacted productivity and effectiveness What was once a “good” relationship now felt like a sour one THE IMPACT Yikes

22. I met with my mentor about it and worked through my emotions I found him during a happy hour and asked to chat Not only did I share my initial constructive feedback, but I also opened up about the impact of his reaction SLAM DUNK A win is a win

23. When I was honest and made space for conversation I saw my leader and teammate open up and we were able to see each other’s point of view It took some time, but now we have one of the best work relationships I’ve ever had SLAM DUNK A win is a win

24. You have look at the field and understand each player’s position. Be on the offense. Honesty, vulnerability, and trust work no matter what kind of relationship you’re in.

25. LESSON #3: RECOVERING TRUST

26. Trust is hard to build, easy to ruin, and incredibly difficult to recover.

27. Working with a new client to our consultancy, and everything was going great! …Then my Outlook and Gmail disconnected THE SITUATION What had happened was…

28. I missed not one…but four meetings back to back with my client My PM pinged me and asked if I knew I had missed these meetings, which I clearly did not! THE CHALLENGE It got a bit sticky…

29. I felt incredibly ashamed and feared getting fired after such a huge mistake It didn’t seem like that was a way to get back on track and recover from it THE CHALLENGE It got a bit sticky…

30. I really dropped the ball on ensuring I was checking both calendars and emails even though I had them “connected” - you can never be too sure! THE LOSS *face palm*

31. The design work fell behind due to missed meetings The client felt like I didn’t care, in their own words they questioned if I was truly invested in them THE IMPACT Yikes

32. My manager is incredibly kind,a world-class coach. He gave me space to feel what I felt but he told me not to walk with my head down He advised me without judgement and punishment - which helped me confidently strategize solutions SLAM DUNK A win is a win

33. I committed to micro-tasks and delivered on each one so that they knew I was attentive and focused This re-built trust Our onsite work went SO well, they ended up signing two more contracts with us, and I returned to both at their request SLAM DUNK A win is a win

34. You have look at the field and understand each player’s position. Be on the offense. Honesty, vulnerability, and trust work no matter what kind of relationship you’re in. When you own it and commit to a path forward, you can absolutely turn it around.

35. STRATEGIES

36. While it is tempting to step in and fix the problem, encourage your people to own what has happened and process through it. ENCOURAGE OWNERSHIP

37. Actively listen Get curious and ask questions Give up control Hone individual strengths/talents Direct with optimism rather than punishment ENCOURAGE OWNERSHIP

38. Teams aren’t great or synergetic because they just wake up that way. Productive and satisfied teams are cultivated through meaningful connection. PRIORITIZE CONNECTION

39. Team critique Outings/bonding “Lunch and learn” programming Pair work Jazz up the retro, bestie! PRIORITIZE CONNECTION

40. Shared language creates for shared understanding. When people have a shared language, a cultural foundation is built that can help reduce confusion and barriers. DEVELOP A LANGUAGE

41. Accessible knowledge base Team ceremonies Regular norming Shared steps for escalation DEVELOP A LANGUAGE

42. I developed this feedback framework after Lesson #2. Now, I don’t wait to provide feedback but I create the space on our team for everyone to share their thoughts on a regular basis. GLOW + GROW

43. Glow = a moment where they shined Grow = moment where they could stretch or calibrate Expected and agreed upon cadence Everyone shares, everyone is heard GLOW + GROW

44. We have a thriving mentorship practice at WillowTree, and my mentors are a source of wisdom to help me navigate our organization. I’ve also become a mentor to help my team grow and learn. GROW MENTORS

45. New hire & long-term mentors Encourage both organic mentorship and assigned mentorship Provide resources Cross-role mentorship Executive mentorship GROW MENTORS

46. Risk is a scary word, but the most successful people on Earth are people who aren’t afraid to take risks. HOLD SPACE FOR RISK

47. Provide clear boundaries Allow juniors to lead Explore new ideas and ways of thinking “Mess around and find out” Incorporate play HOLD SPACE FOR RISK

48. When failure is not used as a purposeful training ground: Mentorship is ineffective We miss the innovation that risk can bring Perfectionism stifles open communication People cannot grow

49. ALL OF THIS REALLY JUST POINTS US TO…

50. Bloom’s Taxonomy