2024 has been a year of decisions and much reflection regarding my career at Fuckup Inc. Looking back on the lessons learned, I think 2023 was a particularly challenging year for both FuN and for me. This is because we started 2023 with a lot of determination and clarity about what we hoped to achieve, but not so much about how we would achieve it.
2023 was a particularly important year because it marked the end of a gender-focused project that had provided us with financial support. At the time, this helped us weather the pandemic crisis, but once that project ended, it was time to assess how the organization and its finances would function.
At the start of 2023, I received word that several members of the team wanted to pursue other opportunities and would be leaving in March of that year. I was concerned, especially since one of the people leaving was the Enterprise sales leader, a key role for the organization.
This resignation meant not only having to recruit on a tight schedule to find the right candidates, but also that one department was being dismantled while the other was left without its main pillar of support. It was then that I faced the first challenges that would set the course for what 2023 would be like within FuN.
When discussing the various team members who were planning to resign, management’s response was: “They’re looking for opportunities that we can’t offer right now, and it’s normal for people to want a change after a long period of time.” This led me to think that perhaps my perception was incorrect, and that in the end, the change would be positive for the organization.
Following this wave of resignations, another one occurred that was also particularly significant because it involved the person in charge of finances. She had been leading this area largely on her own since 2021, so we didn’t just need someone with a financial background; we needed someone who could see the big picture of the business and, based on that understanding, make decisions about how and where to allocate funds. Faced with this situation, the reaction was the same: we need to find a replacement, and surely everything will be fine.
The hiring process following that wave of resignations didn't go entirely smoothly. However, it allowed me to see where there were gaps in the hiring and onboarding processes, and above all, how important it is to understand where decisions are being made and where they are leading you.
As you can imagine, the atmosphere within the organization wasn't the best. A lot had changed in just a few months, and the solutions weren't yielding the expected results. The problem wasn't just that a new team had to be put together for the Licensing division; it was also that Enterprise sales had plummeted, and no one could figure out why—or at least couldn't fully understand the reason. There was a lot of pressure and uncertainty.
Amid all this chaos, the new Licensing team—with support from one of its members who had returned from maternity leave—began to achieve significant results. This made it possible to identify what wasn’t working in the Enterprise division, but it also felt like a separate entity from FuN , especially since the team leader’s mindset differed significantly from the vision of senior management.
During a meeting with the head of the Licensing department, we were discussing what was going on and how we could improve integration. It was during that meeting that she made a comment that gave me greater clarity about what was happening. She said something along the lines of:“Management is making decisions out of fear, which is why we can’t achieve the results we’re looking for. If decisions are always made based on saying no—because we want to avoid this or that situation—it limits our vision and we don’t see the whole picture.”
This conversation made me reflect on what was happening. I said to myself: it’s true, decisions have been made out of fear—the leadership has been making decisions based on that fear of failure. Oh, the irony!...
At times, I, too, was making decisions based on that mindset—thinking,“I shouldn’t make any more noise so as not to cause a stir,”“I’d better not speak up or say anything because I don’t see anyone else thinking along the same lines,”or even“Well, they’re not even listening to me anyway, so why bother saying anything?” The truth is, I didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable, even though what was happening was clearly a red flag.
After reflecting on this, I shared my thoughts with my boss at the time, who decided to take a different approach to management—though not the one I had in mind. At the end of the day, we can’t control how people react or what they do. At that point, I was on the verge of quitting, but life takes many twists and turns. By the end of the year, the CEO had resigned, and with that came a new opportunity for FuN.
I’m sharing this experience we’re going through at FuN in 2023 because I believe it’s very important to engage in that self-analysis of how we make decisions and from what perspective. Fear isn’t bad; it’s simply part of being human. But if we allow it to be our primary guide, we’re pretty much headed for failure.
Fear can manifest in many ways, especially at the leadership level, where leadership roles can sometimes be quite lonely. It often takes the form of thoughts like:“What if we decide this and everyone gets upset? What if they no longer respect me or like me?” There can be endless scenarios, and in the end, we end up making the wrong decision because of the noise in our minds.
When we’ve been stuck in a difficult situation for so long, it’s hard to see the big picture objectively, which is why asking for help is not only an act of humility but also of wisdom. That way, we can gain a broader perspective and make a better decision.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t consider all the factors involved in making a decision. It’s simply an invitation to ask yourself:“Where am I emotionally, and why—or for what purpose—am I making this decision?” If you’re the leader of a department or organization and your decisions affect the people around you, it’s even more important to reflect on this.
Right now, I’m really glad I didn’t leave, and that I’m able to create this “Take 2” of what we want FUN as an organization, and to continue spreading the message that failure is something to embrace, and how it drives us to grow and become better.
Let’s work together to find the best way to create a safe space where your team can share lessons learned. Just fill out this form, and we’ll get in touch with you.
.svg)
.png)
.jpg)
