Now it's our turn to share the failure...

Tips from the Fuckup Nights team on how to be resilient

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I won't lie: I was absolutely stuck while preparing this newsletter. I even asked ChatGPT for inspiring stories about resilient teams. After reading the same old, boring stories about Starbucks and Lego, I gave up.

Then I asked Ileana, our People Manager, for advice, and her response surprised me with its simplicity: talk about us, about Fuckup Nights.

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It's funny because when you're part of a resilient team weathering a storm, you often don't realize you're in one.

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The word "resilience" has been part of our team's vocabulary for months, especially around this time of year. For instance, not long ago, we held an internal Fuckup Nights session (you know, practicing what we preach).

If you weren't aware—and to be completely transparent—exactly one year ago, Fuckup Nights was facing a lot of uncertainty. A significant team reduction, copycats everywhere, some management changes, and a snowball of debts that ALMOST brought Fuckup Nights and its operations.

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But here we are, one year later.

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We don't take it for granted. We're still doing our best to bring you the best content, stories, and lessons—whether through a private event, a local gatheringor or these very newsletter lines.

So, to figure out how the heck you become resilient, all I had to do was turn around, ask some of my teammates, and share the collective wisdom that emerged during a genuine moment of crisis:‍

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Tips for Building Resilient Teams, by a Resilient Team (The Fuckup Nights team in 2024)

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Marcela, Movement Coordinator.‍

Marcela leads the largest team at FUN, coordinating our entire global community.

"We've always been open, transparent, and honest with our global community, even when we didn't have enough bandwidth to do everything for them. That was key. At the same time, they've shown resilience despite everything we've been through as an organization."

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Key learning #1:

Teams that prioritize collaboration and mutual support foster resilience. Leaders who value contributions and promote a culture of generosity and giving help strengthen this trait.

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Ileana, People Manager.‍

Ile handled most of the tough conversations with the team in 2024.

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"Resilience equals confidence, and to be confident, you need to know who you can rely on and their capabilities. This led us to question everything we had been doing. We had to redefine the team's culture, let go of some people, and align with the new message. This last point remains a work in progress—culture isn't built overnight. However, rituals are being established, and important messages are being shared so that, day by day, we can all be more aligned."<br>

Key learning #2:

Sharing a purpose strengthens resilience by creating a conviction that the team or organization can overcome any challenge. A clear and inspiring vision unites team members and drives them to face new challenges with determination.

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Eric, General Manager.

Eric implemented a new strategy and made several tough decisions to keep Fuckup Nights afloat this year.

"Resilience is measured by the team's confidence in holding each other accountable during critical moments. Asking for and offering help when facing obstacles is vital for fostering agile collaboration within the team.<br>During a crisis, extending a helping hand becomes a superpower, enabling the team to see themselves as a united front working together to solve challenges."

Key learning #3:

Incorporate positive rituals to strengthen connections and add value, such as regular check-ins, safe spaces for feedback, celebrating small wins, and recognizing meaningful processes. Leaders shouldn't wait for a crisis to show they care about their teams.

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Karla, Operations Manager.

Karla masterminded a more streamlined operation with optimized processes.

"Simplifying operations was key for us. Numerous OKRs, objectives, KPIs and endless planning sessions weren't the answer. What truly made a difference was simplifying our goals (focusing on three core objectives) and committing to improving by 1% daily in shared processes and responsibilities that directly contributed to those goals."

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Key learning #4:

Involve teams in creating contingency plans for possible scenarios. Train them in new skills and ensure clarity around responsibilities, processes, and action plans. This builds confidence to face new challenges effectively.

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Pepe, Co-Founder & CEO.

Pepe wore many hats to keep things moving—coach, speaker, PR, advisor, salesman, and more.

"Be a cockroach. A cockroach is nearly invincible.<br>This year, we advanced our turnaround by focusing on crafting a narrative and believing in it, leading by example, simplifying our focus to our superpowers, putting the client first, eliminating toxicity from the team, and paying attention to detail.

Or simply: have a clear culture, strategy, and objectives."

Key learning #5:

Teams overcome challenges when leaders inspire them to see obstacles as opportunities to innovate and strengthen bonds. Leaders who convey calm, optimism, and resourcefulness set the tone for resilience in adversity.

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A Word of Thanks

To our clients: Thank you for keeping our operations afloat in 2024 and trusting in our 10+ years of expertise to transform spaces, learn from failure, and embrace resilience.

To our community of Fuckuppers (local Fuckup Nights organizers worldwide): Thank you for continuing to bring failure to the forefront, sharing bruises and scars in countless languages.

We know firsthand that a simple "It's going to be okay" isn't always enough. If your business or team faces tough times, trust in everyone's resilience—it's in our nature, and there's always a way. Just surround yourself with the right people. 😉

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See you in 2025 to keep sharing failures.

– Rich