Reflection: The Value of Thinking About Failure

 A few days after discussing the pre-mortem framework, Bruce Spurlock reflects on one of its most important lessons: organizations often spend far more time planning for success than preparing for failure. In this short reflection, Bruce explores why leaders naturally gravitate toward optimism, why difficult conversations become harder once momentum builds around an idea, and how structured dissent can improve decision-making without slowing progress. The pre-mortem is not about pessimism. It is about creating the conditions for better thinking. By imagining failure before implementation begins, leaders can surface hidden risks, challenge assumptions, and improve the quality of strategic decisions. Topics include: Leadership and decision-making  Optimism bias  Psychological safety  Organizational learning  Strategic planning  Risk management  Dissent and innovation  Healthcare leadership  A thoughtful reflection on why anticipating failure may be one of the most effective ways to improve success.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.