constructive failures

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "constructive failures" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe failures that provide valuable lessons or insights, contributing positively to future efforts or improvements. Example: "The team's approach to innovation often leads to constructive failures, which ultimately help refine their strategies and enhance their success."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"He called them constructive failures".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

In this context, we conceptualize constructive failure as short-term and supported experiences of failure that build a base for longer-term success solving complex engineering design problems.

Thinking Skills and Creativity

This analysis highlights constructive failure as an asset for learning through iterative design and for the development of creative problem-solving skills.

Thinking Skills and Creativity

For the Obamas, this period was also one of constructive personal failure, forcing them to reckon with their longstanding differences.

The New York Times

V. IN THE HISTORY of Barack Obama, his landslide loss against Rush is now regarded as a constructive political failure, the point at which he shed some early dreaminess and hubris and became a cannier competitor.

The New York Times

If scaffolds are designed to model constructive responses, students' failures would not lead to negative emotion but help them use their failures as formative feedback to improve their learning.

Educational Psychologist

We have seen with our clients that leaders who are afraid to acknowledge when they don't have an answer, and who try to mask concerns or mistakes are far less effective than those who hire to meet gaps in their expertise, own any errors in judgment and create constructive lessons from failures.

Huffington Post

The first scaffolding strategy that highlights controllability of actions is embedding peer modeling of constructive responses to failure.

Educational Psychologist

Constructive response to failure includes analyzing the causal structure of the learning context, and thus determining what could have been done differently to lead to success.

Educational Psychologist

Framing of failure as constructive can help students to engage in authentic practices of iterative design and to leverage failure in future experiences.

Thinking Skills and Creativity

He managed to help get something really constructive going after the failure of [the 2009 climate summit in] Copenhagen".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "constructive failures" to reframe setbacks as learning opportunities, especially in contexts where innovation and experimentation are valued. For example, when discussing a research project, acknowledge that setbacks are "constructive failures" that contribute to refining the methodology.

Common error

Avoid using "constructive failures" too frequently, as it can diminish its impact. Vary your language by using alternatives like "learning experiences" or "productive mistakes" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "constructive failures" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "constructive" modifies the noun "failures." As Ludwig AI explains, this describes failures that yield positive outcomes. It reinterprets the term "failure" into something that may bring benefit.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "constructive failures" describes failures that lead to valuable learning experiences. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in English. While it's not extremely common, it appears in both scientific and news contexts. Related phrases include "productive mistakes" and "learning experiences". When using the term, aim to reframe setbacks positively while avoiding overuse, and consider the audience and context to ensure it resonates appropriately. In essence, "constructive failures" encourages a growth mindset, turning errors into opportunities for future success.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

productive mistakes

Emphasizes the output or result of the mistake being beneficial or leading to improvement.

learning experiences

Focuses on the educational aspect derived from the failures.

instructive setbacks

Highlights the teaching or guiding nature of the failures.

valuable errors

Stresses the worth or importance of the errors in contributing to progress.

beneficial mistakes

Directly states that the mistakes have a positive effect or advantage.

advantageous failures

Similar to beneficial mistakes but with a slightly stronger emphasis on the positive outcome.

failures with positive outcomes

Explicitly describes failures that result in something good.

growth opportunities

Reframes failures as chances for personal or professional development.

failures as stepping stones

Implies that failures are necessary stages on the path to success.

useful shortcomings

Highlights the utility of the shortcomings in leading to improvements.

FAQs

How can "constructive failures" contribute to innovation?

"Constructive failures" provide valuable insights and lessons that can be used to refine strategies, improve processes, and ultimately enhance the chances of success in future endeavors.

What's a good context to use the term "constructive failures"?

The term "constructive failures" is particularly well-suited for discussions related to research, development, innovation, and personal growth, where setbacks are viewed as opportunities for learning and improvement.

Are there synonyms for "constructive failures"?

Yes, you can use alternatives like "productive mistakes", "learning experiences", or "valuable errors" depending on the specific context.

How does framing failures as "constructive failures" impact mindset?

Framing failures as "constructive failures" promotes a growth mindset by shifting the focus from the negative aspects of failure to the positive learning and development opportunities that arise from them.