Social Enterprise Scotland

Day

Tuesday 4 February

Time slot

13:30-14:30

Room

Pentland auditorium
Wheelchair accessible

Contact

Chris Martin
0131 243 2650

Topic

Leadership

Overall aim

In social enterprise, the journey to impact is often marked by setbacks and lessons. Fail Forward at The Gathering 2025 offers an open dialogue on embracing failure as a growth tool. Attendees will gain practical insights, connect with a resilient community, and leave empowered to transform setbacks into powerful learning experiences that strengthen their organisations.

Objectives

• Normalising Failure as a Stepping Stone to Success
• This session aims to break down the stigma around failure, highlighting it as essential for social impact. Unlike other sectors, social enterprises operate with heightened expectations. Our speakers will share personal stories of overcoming setbacks—whether operational, financial, or stakeholder-related—showing that failure is part of progress. Attendees will gain a reframed view of failure as an integral growth process rather than a mark of inadequacy.
• Equipping Attendees with Practical Tools
• Beyond shifting mindsets, this session provides actionable tools to help social enterprises navigate setbacks. Speakers will discuss strategies they used to overcome challenges, covering risk management, stakeholder feedback, and resilience-building. Attendees will leave with specific frameworks and methods they can immediately apply to their organisations.
• Building a Supportive Community of Practice
• Facing challenges can often feel isolating in social enterprise. This session fosters a supportive environment where attendees can connect with peers who understand the complexities of mission-driven work. Breakout discussions will allow participants to share experiences and solutions, creating a lasting network of mentorship and support.
• Cultivating a Growth Mindset
• The session promotes a growth mindset across the sector, inspiring social enterprises to adopt an iterative, learning-focused approach. Attendees will be encouraged to refine methods continuously, seeing each setback as an opportunity to strengthen their impact and resilience.

Conclusion

Fail Forward is more than a discussion on failure; it’s a call to harness setbacks as a transformative force in social enterprise. Through shared stories, practical insights, and a supportive network, attendees will leave ready to embrace failure as a cornerstone of meaningful progress and adaptability in their mission-driven work.

Description

"Fail Forward: Learning from Setbacks in Social Enterprise" is designed to explore failure as a crucial part of growth, resilience, and innovation in social enterprise. This session at The Gathering 2025 will feature three social enterprise leaders who share their journeys through significant challenges, offering attendees valuable insights and practical tools to apply in their own organisations.

Session Objectives:

• Reframe Failure as a Growth Catalyst: This session seeks to normalise failure within social enterprise, presenting it as a critical aspect of achieving impact. By candidly sharing stories, our speakers aim to help attendees see setbacks as stepping stones rather than dead ends.
• Provide Actionable Tools and Strategies: Speakers will offer practical solutions they used to overcome challenges, including risk management, stakeholder engagement, and resilience-building. Attendees will leave with grounded strategies for tackling their own obstacles.
• Build a Supportive Network: Through storytelling and shared experiences, attendees will connect with peers who understand the pressures of mission-driven work, fostering a community of support that extends beyond the event.

Session Structure:

• Introduction (5 Minutes): The moderator will set a safe, open tone, emphasising the value of learning from failure and introducing the three speakers and their organisations.
• Speaker Presentations (25 Minutes): Each speaker will share a concise story about a key setback, covering:
• Context and Challenge: Introduction to the organisation’s mission and the specific challenge.
• The Setback and Response: How they handled the setback, detailing their strategies.
• Lessons Learned: Reflections on how the experience strengthened their approach.
• Moderated Panel Discussion (15 Minutes): The moderator will lead a discussion on resilience, managing stakeholder relationships, and cultivating an adaptive mindset.
• Interactive Q&A (15 Minutes): Attendees will engage with speakers to discuss shared challenges, ask for advice, and gain tailored insights.

Key Takeaways:

• Shifted Perspective on Failure: See setbacks as part of the growth process.
• Practical Tools: Strategies for managing challenges, from financial to operational.
• Community Support: Build connections with others who share the journey.

Conclusion:

The session closes with a reminder that failure builds resilience and is integral to achieving social impact. Attendees will leave inspired to embrace failure as a key component of meaningful progress.

Who is the event aimed at?

Managers

Who is speaking at this event?

TBC