Success in business is acclaimed, but a growing global movement wants failure to be celebrated too.
Success in business is rightfully acclaimed, but should failure also be celebrated?
When Vithushan Namasivayasivam was previously working as a software engineer for one of the main global music streamers he made a huge mistake.
It was the kind of error that you wouldn’t typically wish to share with a room brimming with strangers. But Mr Namasivayasivam recently divulged his blunder to dozens of people at an event in Toronto, Canada.
His mistake seven years ago involved his work trying to ensure that when bands and solo artists submitted 10-second long, looping videos to accompany their songs, they would play smoothly on people’s mobile phones.
At the time the videos were being trialled in Canada.
They should have been streamed to users’ handsets just the one time, but due to Mr Namasivayasivam’s error they were constantly re-downloaded onto people’s phones every 10 seconds.
For those not connected to wi-fi, it quickly used up all their data.
Mr Namasivayasivam only became aware of the mistake when he read complaints on an online forum. One person had written that it had « killed his data ».
Another said: « I hate this feature so much. Whoever came up with this, should be fired and shot. »
While most of us might have wanted to keep such memories locked away, Mr Namasivayasivam revealed all into a microphone while standing on a stage in front of room full of strangers.
The gathering was part of a global movement, with more than 250 cities now participating in public showcases of how entrepreneurs and other business leaders, mainly in the tech space, fail and then recover from their gaffes.
The idea is that it is cathartic to talk about such things, and everyone in attendance can learn from the mistakes, and ask questions.
Mr Namasivayasivam told the crowd in Toronto: « It was at this moment that I messed up, and this is where the feelings of imposter syndrome and anxiety and shame came flooding in.
