Overcoming Innovation Barriers: Part 2
In the first part of this blog, we discussed two significant barriers to innovation — the “I Know Best” mindset and perfectionism — as well as the breakthroughs needed to overcome them. Now, we’ll examine two more obstacles: fear of failure and resistance to change.
Barrier: Fear of Failure
Fear of failure can paralyze innovation. Teams worry that a test or idea that doesn’t work will be seen as a waste of resources, an unproductive risk or simply embarrassing. This anxiety discourages experimentation before it even begins. Ultimately, the problem isn’t just about facing the possibility of failure once; it’s about learning to face it repeatedly. To truly innovate, teams must build a “failure muscle,” much like movers who develop strength by lifting heavy objects over and over again. Surviving one failure might feel like dodging a bullet, but thriving in an innovation culture means developing the resilience to fail repeatedly and still move forward.
The Breakthrough: Reframe Failure as Learning
The key to overcoming fear of failure is reframing what failure means. Instead of celebrating the fact that something didn’t work out, celebrate the insights gained. As Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, says, “We don’t celebrate failure; we celebrate learning.” This subtle shift makes all the difference. Instead of building a culture that demands constant success, aim to create a culture of learning. Public media, grounded in educational values, is uniquely positioned to embrace this perspective. By freeing your team from the expectation that every test must succeed, you encourage continual growth.
Example: Learning from Facebook Ad Tests
Consider a set of Facebook ad tests CDP’s Digital Marketing Services department performed for a single PMO. The first attempt spent $1,979 on ads but only earned $2,002 in revenue — technically a break-even result and not the acquisition success we’d hoped for. Instead of declaring it a failure and giving up, we adapted. By adjusting our targeting, the second attempt generated $9,137 in revenue from a $2,602 spend. Although acquisition results were still not ideal, we learned what worked better, discovered new donor segments and gained valuable insights. In other words, the takeaway wasn’t “we failed,” but “here’s what we learned,” which helped guide subsequent improvements.
Barrier: Resistance to Change
Another common roadblock is resistance to change. People naturally gravitate toward what’s comfortable. If things are “generally working,” why risk something new? Yet comfort can be dangerous. Much like the dinosaurs before the asteroid, organizations that fail to adapt risk becoming obsolete. Public media has seen this in how slowly nonprofits embraced online giving, even as for-profits rapidly adapted to meet consumers online. Without pressing external forces like shareholder demands, nonprofits often settle into their comfort zones for far too long.
The Breakthrough: Set Incremental, Action-Oriented Goals
To overcome resistance to change, start small. Instead of pushing sweeping transformations, set incremental “do something” goals. For example, commit to conducting four new tests within a fiscal year. This accountability — rooted in action rather than abstract revenue targets — helps coax teams out of their comfort zones. Encourage them to test bold ideas they think might fail. By doing so, you break the cycle of only trying “safe bets” and spark genuine innovation.
In Summary: Testing is a Tool for Growth
Testing is the engine that drives innovation. Through A/B comparisons, pilot programs and before-and-after analyses, each experiment provides data for better decision-making. Testing reduces risk by replacing guesswork with evidence and enables organizations to adapt quickly in a changing landscape.
As you move forward, consider these core principles for building a culture of testing and innovation:
Embrace Iteration: Test, refine and test again. Each cycle builds confidence and improves outcomes.
Balance Risk: Consider effort, confidence levels and potential revenue when selecting which tests to run.
Start Small: Incremental changes accumulate over time, making transformation manageable rather than overwhelming.
By addressing the fear of failure and resistance to change, PMOs can unlock their full innovative potential. These breakthroughs don’t just drive better results; they cultivate an environment where testing, learning and growth become second nature. In an ever-evolving fundraising landscape, this cultural shift provides the competitive edge we need to thrive. That’s why at CDP, we’ve embraced innovation as a core value from day one — believing that data driven innovation is the best path to true, transformative change.