#MuseumHour: Failure as a Museum Worker

On October 19, 2020 I got to host a #MuseumHour on the topic of failure as a museum worker. #MuseumHour is a platform on twitter facilitating discussions within the museum industry. The team recently updated their Manifesto & Guide, reflecting even better the changes our professions have been going through.

This has been the second #MuseumHour discussion I’ve hosted this year, the first one was on Success as a Museum Worker and the latest one seemed like a continuation, because let me state one thing upfront success and failure are shaped through metrics that are influenced by race, class and gender!

It’s a topic I’ve been working over the past years, you can find an ongoing interview series I’ve been conducting with museum and creative professionals on What success Looks Like to Them here> or take a look at some of my thoughts on labor issues and art as labor>

It’s been a rich and deep discussion and I want to thank everyone who participated for their honesty and vulnerability in the answers they’ve shared. THANK YOU! In the following I’ve collected several of the tweets so that these conversations don’t get lost.

Before we start this #MuseumHour: Failure is a very personal topic and this year has been very hard for a variety of reasons. If you feel the system has failed you or you're going through a career low. I'm sorry you're going through it and hope you have the support you need.

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

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Q1: What do you consider a personal career failure? What did this experience teach you? #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

I think there are many museum workers going through this right now. The system seems to have failed its staff. #MuseumHour https://t.co/u60E9MccJ2

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

#MuseumHour A1. About 8 years ago, I was unemployed for about 2 years in my country. I then returned the org that I had previously left. This experience taught that the perfect job does not exist and sometimes you need to step back to be able to move forwards.

— Museum Migrants (@MuseumMigrants) October 19, 2020

A1: Taking 3 years to complete my Museum Studies MA. I was part time anyway, but then struggled with my mental health & also working part time alongside studying in my second year, so took a break and then went back to finish it later. The hardest thing I’ve ever done #MuseumHour

— Amelia B-M (@ameliab_m) October 19, 2020

A1. The 6 interview rejections I had in the space of like 3 months a few years ago felt like failure, it taught me I was more resilient than I thought but only after threatening to give up on museums and a lot of tears! #MuseumHour

— Sarah Cameron (@S_R_Cameron) October 19, 2020

A1. The 6 interview rejections I had in the space of like 3 months a few years ago felt like failure, it taught me I was more resilient than I thought but only after threatening to give up on museums and a lot of tears! #MuseumHour

— Sarah Cameron (@S_R_Cameron) October 19, 2020

A1. #museumhour Hi - Finding out what's the right role/s for you is a success - not a failure .. finding what you love in a role, what roles u want. (and if its same ed. role I knew you in, realise you've done loads, you were BRILL!x)

— @VolSecGal1 (@VolSecGal1) October 19, 2020

A1 if I'm honest, not being as successful as my peers. I know looking at others is unhelpful but it's hard not to #MuseumHour

— Claire Whitbread (@ClaireWhitters) October 19, 2020

A1 I got made redundant from the museum I wrote my PhD about the week I submitted my thesis. It taught me that this stuff hurts and you can give something everything and write a really good PhD about it and sometimes it still won't matter #MuseumHour

— Ellie Miles (@ellie__miles) October 19, 2020

Once finished second in 4 consecutive job interviews. When I was told I was employable, I just heard 'not good enough'. #MuseumHour

— Declan Walsh (@DeclanWal) October 19, 2020

A1 Having been in museums for 20 years and still being at the bottom, and not advancing. It's shown me I'm not ambitious but I doubt my abilities daily #MuseumHour

— Rosie Barker (@RosieSBarker) October 19, 2020

A1) accepting roles that weren’t the right fit for me at that point in my career. Don’t rush in to saying yes to job offers and equally think about the roles you apply for and don’t try changing who you are #MuseumHour

— Rachel Coman (@Museum_Rachel) October 19, 2020

A1. #museumhour i didn't accept jobs i was given i really wanted (+investing lots of energy to compete) confidence issues/life changes. Still had great, successful job experiences after but the wondering of what may have been. Passing on for younger peeps to weigh up their opps

— @VolSecGal1 (@VolSecGal1) October 19, 2020

A1: Applying for a job I had previously held in the same organisation - and not getting it. It made me doubt all the work I had done during the 5+ years I was there. Learning? Look forward not back! #museumhour

— Victoria Northwood (@mrsvnorthwood) October 19, 2020

A1: I took a 2 day maternity leave, it not only added to my burnout but also set a terrible example for others #museumhour

— Sara Phalen (@SaraPhalen) October 19, 2020

A1 I would say that it is a moment in which you lose hope. Career is not only about personal interest or money, but also about the fulfillment, purpose, happiness. Once you don’t think these things are possible, you likely failed. No condemnation to anyone 😍 *hugs* #MuseumHour

— Lana Pajdas 🗺🏛 (@LanaPajdas) October 19, 2020

A1 I would say that it is a moment in which you lose hope. Career is not only about personal interest or money, but also about the fulfillment, purpose, happiness. Once you don’t think these things are possible, you likely failed. No condemnation to anyone 😍 *hugs* #MuseumHour

— Lana Pajdas 🗺🏛 (@LanaPajdas) October 19, 2020

A1 once gathered together a group of LGBTQ people and joyfully told them the museums wanted to do an exhibition on LGBTQ people. They politely declined. Don’t ever assume what a community wants (even if you’re from that community). Be as multi vocal as you can be. #MuseumHour

— 🏴‍☠️ Ben(t) Pirates 🏳️‍🌈 (@BenPaites) October 19, 2020

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Q2: What beliefs on the topic of failure make you angry or sad in the museum world? #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

From an anonymous participant: "How does one recover from very public failure? It’s impact/effect on the museum’s image is what keeps me awake at night".

You can write us a DM if you prefer to remain anon. in one of your answers tonight. #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

A2. That we don’t acknowledge how much more we often learn from our failures than our successes #MuseumHour

— Rachel Moss (@particip8tion) October 19, 2020

A2. That failure is personal, and an indelible blot on a person or character. That failure can be a learning experience, that it can be a neutral experience, that it can be a good thing. To fail quickly is a keystone of agile technology management. #MuseumHour

— Abdn_MuseumStudies (@Abdn_MuseStud) October 19, 2020

That they should be hushed up and not mentioned, especially in related to objects. #MuseumHour

— Declan Walsh (@DeclanWal) October 19, 2020

A2) not just museums, but we are taught that to fail is week and it is the fear of feeling rather lonely and disconnect from your colleagues- acceptance is part of success or lack of it is part of failing. #MuseumHour

— Rachel Coman (@Museum_Rachel) October 19, 2020

A2: that there isn’t open acknowledgment that we all fail and ways to turn it into a positive learning and sharing experience; we also don’t usually “display” or feature failures in our programs or exhibits which perpetuate the stigma in our culture

— Sara Phalen (@SaraPhalen) October 19, 2020

A2 not museum specific, but I think society in general teaches us to be embarrassed about failure #MuseumHour

— Claire Whitbread (@ClaireWhitters) October 19, 2020

#MuseumHour A2 that if you fail you can't repeat the same idea for a few years - whether that's because of funding or organisational attitude. It's not failure, it's learning what will work.

— Melanie Hollis (@meloonameloona) October 19, 2020

A2 That failure is an objective thing. It's so subjective and at times we think we are failing, other people looking in only see our successes. It can mean we don't notice when someone needs reassuring and support. #museumhour

— Emma Crew (@EmmaCrew4) October 19, 2020

A2 the fact that we need to hide them because they’re somehow bad. Especially from funders. I’m sure many funders won’t mind if the main project failed, as long as you ended up using that money productively for future work or doing something else. #MuseumHour

— 🏴‍☠️ Ben(t) Pirates 🏳️‍🌈 (@BenPaites) October 19, 2020

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Q3: What concrete practices does the museum world need to adjust/ implement around the topic of failure to create better support systems for museum worker? #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

That's so true! So much funding demands extraordinary performance reviews instead of asking about learnings based on failure (which would be so beneficial for other institutions) #MuseumHour https://t.co/Zn4uMYyeZn

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

I think we need environments where talking about failure is seen as an inherent part of our work #MuseumHour

— Claire Whitbread (@ClaireWhitters) October 19, 2020

Train leaders in how to develop and maintain trust in an organisation. Create agreed principles of behaviour and transparent decision making in terms of how decisions are made and who can make them. -#museumhour

— Lindsey Green (@lindsey_green) October 19, 2020

More time for reflection and introspection - not just bouncing from project to project. But also job security - failure can feel like the end of the world if you're not sure your contract will be renewed/what your next role will be. #MuseumHour

— Sam Jenkins (@SamJamJenkins) October 19, 2020

#MuseumHour A3
Funders who give room for defining outcomes and measures of success after an initial period of exploration with the group/audience involved would move the focus away from failure and on to learning and growth.

— Melanie Hollis (@meloonameloona) October 19, 2020

A3 I think change is needed across the board. Most conferences only want to hear about successes, many funders only want to see success so it all feeds into staff feeling like they can't fail. More emphasis on piloting and testing would go a long way to changing this#MuseumHour

— Frances Jeens (@FranJeens) October 19, 2020

A3 make it clearer that’s it’s ok if something doesn’t go right. So long as the support structures are in place and adaptability is encouraged then it’ll all work out. Never go into a project expecting the outcome to be exactly how you want it to be. #MuseumHour

— 🏴‍☠️ Ben(t) Pirates 🏳️‍🌈 (@BenPaites) October 19, 2020

A3 also, make sure that the metrics we’re using for measure the success of a project/collection are of this century and make sense in terms of qualitative, experiential benefit to audiences.

Numbers aren’t everything & this needs to be implemented in donor/funding processes.

— 👨‍👦‍👦🌽 Danny of the Corn 🌽👨‍👦‍👦 (@art_dance_red) October 19, 2020

A3: more opportunities to be honest and learn from failure without guilt/blame/shaming - and maybe not talking about it as failing! #MuseumHour

— Rosie Barker (@RosieSBarker) October 19, 2020

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Q4: 2020 has been hard for many museum worker, even though many things were outside of our individual control many think a/t career failure right now. What should employers in 2021 take into account to make the application process & conditions more inclusive & open? #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

#MuseumHour A4. Not decrease salaries for new vacancies despite the fact that less financial resources are available.

— Museum Migrants (@MuseumMigrants) October 19, 2020

A4. Rethink essential criteria for a job role rather than ask for qualifications & loads of experience, offer alternative ways to apply, look at language used, invite those who feel underrepresented to apply, streamline application forms, have onboarding processes #MuseumHour

— Rachel Moss (@particip8tion) October 19, 2020

A4. Everyone needs to read and follow the @fair_jobs manifesto. Recruit with kindness and empathy, set timescales, contact all applicants even when there are a lot. Be transparent. #MuseumHour

— Rebecca Morris-Buck (@rsbuck) October 19, 2020

What if... follow along with me here... museum workers weren't the failures and instead, some institutions failed their workers? #museumhour

— Blaire Moskowitz (@BlaireMoskowitz) October 19, 2020

A4. It’s high time that applications do not show names so there can be no discrimination due to gender/perceived ethnicity etc #MuseumHour

— Laura FalkinerRogers (@laura_serafina) October 19, 2020

A4) Be sensitive to anxiety and stress in interview situations. Make time to put people at ease and challenge yourself to make the process more supportive. #MuseumHour

— Rachel Coman (@Museum_Rachel) October 19, 2020

THIS!! I think many of us will judge our museums (or any work place for that matter) by how they treated their staff during the pandemic. If they can’t support you or show compassion during a health crisis, when will they ever? #MuseumHour https://t.co/evE5KrlIQN

— Jack o’ Lauren🎃 (@thatmuseumgirl_) October 19, 2020

A4. To consider the lack of things like work placements for graduates from single year masters degrees that finished in 2020. #MuseumHour

— Abdn_MuseumStudies (@Abdn_MuseStud) October 19, 2020

A4: Don't add pressure about what people "achieved" during this time in terms of personal projects, volunteering, online learning etc. Whether people worked, were furloughed or made redundant simply living through stressful times safely and healthily is enough! #museumhour

— Holly (@Ho11y15) October 19, 2020

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Q5: Did you gain a different perspective on failure in 2020? If so, how did your perception on the topic change? #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

#MuseumHour A5. 2020 has shown us that many things are not under our control. Sometimes, we will not be able to do things as we planned - and that is okay.

— Museum Migrants (@MuseumMigrants) October 19, 2020

Another anonymous answer:
"A5. I guess, all of a sudden.. ‘museum problems’ seemed trivial and I felt helpless being furloughed in a job where I couldn’t really help anyone. Failure to me is being in a privileged position but unable to help your community." #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

A5 that finding work life balance is incredibly hard. I wasn't good at it before and this year has been incredibly intense. I gave myself a really hard time at the beginning but now I celebrate when I do achieve it and don't feel bad when I don't#MuseumHour

— Frances Jeens (@FranJeens) October 19, 2020

A5. I was very fortunate to work throughout & at a museum that got funding. I've become very aware of the part luck & timing plays in success & failure. Oh & that plans can go out of the window so easily #MuseumHour

— Rebecca Morris-Buck (@rsbuck) October 19, 2020

A5. I worked in an industry making (ok) money and had a fair amount of responsibility, but I was miserable. 2020 for me made me reevaluate what was important & enabled me to return to Heritage industry (as a student) and im so relieved just to feel like I belong again #MuseumHour

— Luke Severn (@1kinginthenorth) October 19, 2020

#museumhour A5: also this year has helped me reflect a lot on who we are failing even when we think we are succeeding, important to see “successes” and “failures” from different viewpoints

— Sara Phalen (@SaraPhalen) October 19, 2020

A5) there are some things we can have an impact on and some things we can do little about. I think 2020 has taught me hugely about mental well-being for myself and the value of conversations and interaction #MuseumHour

— Rachel Coman (@Museum_Rachel) October 19, 2020

A5: yes much more likely to try new things and almost expecting failure since it’s 2020, but appreciate what we learn from those experiences and use them to do other things that are better for all the trying , also I feel like we have rightly adjusted the bar for “success”

— Sara Phalen (@SaraPhalen) October 19, 2020

A5 that personal failures are NOT the same as an institutional failure. I'm kind of glad I gained this perspective now, at the start of my museum career, rather than years later. There always needs to be time for self-care. #museumhour

— Mandie Grimm 🎃💀 (@MandieGrimm) October 20, 2020

A5. I wish I had. But honestly, I am still terrified of failure. #MuseumHour

— Andrew Coulomb (@andrew_coulomb) October 19, 2020

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Q6: Rejection is often part of a setback we perceive as failure. What's the best rejection you've ever gotten? And what information should a rejection contain to be valuable for the person receiving it? #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

#MuseumHour A6. Not getting a job that I applied for a few weeks before the lockdown. Considering everything that happened later, it would have been a problem change jobs and orgs at that point.

— Museum Migrants (@MuseumMigrants) October 19, 2020

A6. I was once told I was the best candidate on paper but had become the worst candidate after the interview - I used to be terrified in interviews & became a bit desperate after so many rejections. The feedback useful though as it included being signposted to help #MuseumHour

— Rachel Moss (@particip8tion) October 19, 2020

A6 I’ve had a couple of good rejections, mostly from people I already knew though. Just being honest is the best thing. None of this “it was a very strong field...” or “although you clearly have a lot of experience...” we know that, just tell us why not us. #MuseumHour

— 🏴‍☠️ Ben(t) Pirates 🏳️‍🌈 (@BenPaites) October 19, 2020

Another anonymous participant: A6: "The best rejection I got was because at interview they realised I’d be perfect for another vacancy they knew they had coming up soon which they thought I’d be perfect for. So I applied for that one and got the job!" #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

A6) I think rejection feedback that feels thought out and not from an interview feedback pick and mix phrase book. Also feedback that is empowering and practical and not keep hammering a negative point home...that gets like white noise and you can obsess #MuseumHour

— Rachel Coman (@Museum_Rachel) October 19, 2020

#MuseumHour A6 "You didn't quite have the level of experience this project requires" was honest, straightforward and useful. They also took the time to answer my follow up questions, providing constructive feedback.

— Melanie Hollis (@meloonameloona) October 19, 2020

A6: I don't think I have ever had a "good" rejection from museums... It is always slow, generic and minimal. Recently rejected from a charity role and found out quickly with some feedback and an offer to call and talk through fully if I wanted. We need to do better. #museumhour

— Holly (@Ho11y15) October 19, 2020

A6: as much transparency as possible is key from the decision making process so that everyone can understand and learn from the rejection #museumhour

— Sara Phalen (@SaraPhalen) October 19, 2020

A6. Speaking personally, not institutionally here, I was once rejected for a lecturing post, but I was emailed and called by the individual leading the panel, with whom I had the most uplifting, confidence boosting conversation I could have imagined. Feedback matters. #MuseumHour

— Abdn_MuseumStudies (@Abdn_MuseStud) October 19, 2020

I think being prompt and constructive in giving it makes you feel more respected #MuseumHour

— Claire Whitbread (@ClaireWhitters) October 19, 2020

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Q7: Do you have a personal review process that supports you when you are going through a "failure period"? What does this process look like? What questions do you ask yourself? #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

A7. We use team review and plus/delta to find out what we should keep and what we should do differently.#MusumHour

— Lindsey Green (@lindsey_green) October 19, 2020

A7 quite helpfully our annual appraisal forms include a section with three parts: I will do more of, I will start doing and I will stop doing. Stop doing is a good way of reflecting on failures. #MuseumHour

— 🏴‍☠️ Ben(t) Pirates 🏳️‍🌈 (@BenPaites) October 19, 2020

A7. I did two things when considering leaving the field when I was let go. I grew an unemployment beard and asked myself, "Is the field better now than when I entered it." #MuseumHour https://t.co/Uwy5wklqHl

— Andrew Coulomb (@andrew_coulomb) October 19, 2020

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Q8: What does a healthy "failure culture" look like in museums? What structures and practices do employers and supervisors need to adjust and implement to support museum worker? #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

A8. A culture where some risk taking & experimentation are encouraged with failure seen as a learning experience with no blame placed or scapegoating. If you work at a place like this I’d like to come and work with you 👍🏻

— Rachel Moss (@particip8tion) October 19, 2020

1) People are trained to give feedback in a respectful way
2) Plus/delta practices are part of the process and the learnings are taken and used
3) Move from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset #MuseumHour

— Lindsey Green (@lindsey_green) October 19, 2020

A8. Supportive leadership that understands and vocally acknowledges that a mistake is not failure or the end of the world. And help guide people to have success in the future, rather than belittling and making your sense of failure intensified. #MuseumHour https://t.co/8nhjCLenCQ

— Andrew Coulomb (@andrew_coulomb) October 19, 2020

A8 It's so helpful to be direct, to communicate when you've made a mistake, over-promised, over-committed or whatever else. If you're direct about it and if you help each other out then you can sort stuff out #MuseumHour

— Ellie Miles (@ellie__miles) October 19, 2020

Great process! Failure culture requires space for vulnerability. We can't talk openly about mistakes and failure if we can't trust. And trust is based on a certain level of intimacy (even on a professional level). We need space and time to share feelings. #MuseumHour https://t.co/tJvqNsZBaL

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

Able to applaud the effort at something new even if failed. Then able to see why expectations were not met. The trustees must be involved too to change the culture and allow a celebration of effort though failed

— Thomas D. Mackie PhD (@tduncanmackie) October 19, 2020

A8 Just accepting that things can’t always work the way we want. Too many museum professionals easily desperate if things don’t go smoothly. It is because most of us didn’t get any business approach during our studies, or any attitude that failing is a part of life. #MuseumHour

— Lana Pajdas 🗺🏛 (@LanaPajdas) October 19, 2020

Q8: adequate time for discussions and reflections, we are all so overworked and focused on the next thing that we don’t have the time for open dialogue that would really help us in many ways #museumhour

— Sara Phalen (@SaraPhalen) October 19, 2020

I’d call it a progressive learning culture...#MuseumHour

— Lindsey Green (@lindsey_green) October 19, 2020

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Q9: Do you have role models when it comes to the topic of failure, people you admire for their resilience or the way they were able to live their life despite the obstacles? #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

Credit where credit is due. Here is that mug on Etsy: https://t.co/gyiRxxcYtk

— Blaire Moskowitz (@BlaireMoskowitz) October 19, 2020

Q9. Sometimes it comes from within. What else have you survived? What storms have you weathered outside of work? Museums are rarely life or death, however awful things feel. 'This too shall pass' & 'you are enough' come to mind. #MuseumHoir

— Rebecca Morris-Buck (@rsbuck) October 19, 2020

A9) there have been a couple of volunteers whose career experience and being just wonderful people, their resilience is awesome and they are very generous with their time and support #MuseumHour

— Rachel Coman (@Museum_Rachel) October 19, 2020

A9 Entrepreneurial mindset helps. Being an entrepreneur does not necessarily mean that you are driven by profits - you just like to have your own thing going. You might easily fail. It is just normal. #MuseumHour

— Lana Pajdas 🗺🏛 (@LanaPajdas) October 19, 2020

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Q10: Let's collect resources: What books, poems, podcasts gave you new insights into failure or help you to feel more empowered? #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

I also absolutely love her podcast! #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

I’m enjoying Tara Mohr “Playing Big” - it addresses how many women feel the need to stay small in order to stay in their comfort zone and stay small. It looks at how male dominated culture has set this expectation #MuseumHour

— Lindsey Green (@lindsey_green) October 19, 2020

Thank you! In the first season, I mentioned in every episode that failure is normal and that I had learned so much more from my failures than any successes - and that still holds true!

— The Wonder House (@TheWonderHouse) October 19, 2020

A10 I loved this book. It showed me how our previous experiences change the predictions we'll make and how that affects how we feel about them. #MuseumHour pic.twitter.com/MFKzuBIeq6

— Frances Jeens (@FranJeens) October 19, 2020

A:10 not sector specific, but I like @Amazing_If Squiggly Careers podcast a lot. And @VivGroskop has some great insights in these turbulent times on We Can Rebuild Her #museumshour

— Rebecca Land Cave (@rebechuana) October 19, 2020

A10: 'Dare to lead' by @BreneBrown: 'You can’t get to courage without rumbling with vulnerability. Embrace the suck.' #MuseumHour

— Dr. Ariane Karbe (@A_Karbe) October 19, 2020

I've just downloaded a couple of @impostersclub podcasts, they sound like they cover some really interesting topics (but I havent started listening yet) #MuseumHour

— Claire Whitbread (@ClaireWhitters) October 19, 2020

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Q11: Last one for tonight! What's the best advice around failure you've ever received? #MuseumHour

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

That's a very smart advice. In particular if we talk about ways in which a whole system or patterns fail individuals. #MuseumHour https://t.co/Q1yTt8wAH1

— MuseumHour (@museumhour) October 19, 2020

That quite often something that initially feels like a failure can turn out to be an opportunity - leaving space for something more interesting to come along! #museumhour https://t.co/3FJu1bpEKf

— Victoria Northwood (@mrsvnorthwood) October 19, 2020

A11. Getting feedback from an interview about how I could develop/signposting me to support, rather than telling me “I’d just missed out” or “someone was more experienced than me.” Personalised feedback can be so invaluable #MuseumHour

— Rachel Moss (@particip8tion) October 19, 2020

Not finishing a project doesn't make it a failure. Some projects aren't meant to be finished and to pursue them until the planned endpoint is a mistake.

— Eleanor Root (@eleanor_root) October 20, 2020

Which actually doesn't make sense because you'd only need to get back up nine times but there you go, maybe don't look to Jon Bon Jovi for maths tips

— Ellie Miles (@ellie__miles) October 19, 2020

Q11. #museumhour - i had an employer yonks and yonks ago who used the phrase 'Onwards and upwards' to encourage everyone. I liked it.

— @VolSecGal1 (@VolSecGal1) October 19, 2020

Every failure is an opportunity to learn something

— Reyahn King (@reyahn2) October 19, 2020

Failure doesn't last.

— Sarah Cameron (@S_R_Cameron) October 19, 2020

The only way never to make mistakes is never to do anything. Learn from it and don't make that mistake again.

— Pat Doran (@PatRDoran) October 20, 2020

#A11 that you’ll learn more from your failures than you ever will from your successes. They’re the best learning experiences you can have. My best bosses have given me space to try stuff, get it wrong and learn. #MuseumHour

— Margaret Clift (@CollectiveMarg) October 19, 2020

A11 #MuseumHour “public opinion is a dull mirror”.

— Rosalyn Sklar (@r_sklar) October 20, 2020