Zulekha Nathoo
Failing Up
Why Some Climb the Ladder Despite Mediocrity
BBC, 2021
Aperçu
Conscious and unconscious discrimination can determine who gets to “fail up” and who does not.
Recommendation
Have you observed a co-worker fail, get another chance, fail again, get another chance, and finally succeed? In this thoughtful BBC article, reporter Zulekha Nathoo explains that this chain of events isn’t worrisome unless bosses are accepting failure based on discrimination. Problems arise when managers don’t apply allowances for failure evenly throughout the workforce. Some employees know they can fail and try again, due in large part to support from their superiors – often those with whom they are a demographic match. Others suspect failure will be held against them, and research shows they are right.
Summary
About the Author
Zulekha Nathoo is a multimedia reporter for the BBC in Atlanta.
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