Inspiring Global Teams With Failure Stories: How SKAN Found Connection
Inspiring global teams with failure stories was the vision when SKAN, a biopharmaceutical technology leader, partnered with The Failure Institute. Their challenge was to connect employees across Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Brazil, Belgium, Poland, and the U.S. through shared meaning.
They launched oneSKAN: The Summit — a 2-day global experience where over 300 participants explored how storytelling fosters global team engagement.
The Challenge: Uniting Global Teams
Global operations demand more than just meetings or standardized communication. For a team spread across continents, true connection requires cultural sensitivity, emotional alignment, and shared values.
SKAN aimed to go beyond basic interaction — they wanted to create genuine cohesion that could unite perspectives and inspire collective purpose.
How The oneSKAN Summit Was Designed
Sessions were built to spark emotion, reflection, and change:
Short talks from SKAN team members about failure.
Keynotes by Pepe Villatoro, Co-Founder of The Failure Institute.
Moderated conversations that welcomed authenticity.
Open mic spaces that invited spontaneous sharing.
Authentic Stories That Fostered Trust
The honest and personal stories shared by Pepe Villatoro resonated deeply with participants. These narratives broke down barriers, transforming failure from a source of shame into a catalyst for growth.
By hearing real experiences, team members found common ground, which significantly enhanced global team engagement.
Human Impact: Connection Beyond Borders
The event sparked something rare — deep trust among strangers. Across borders and roles, employees found a shared truth.
Building a Language of Empathy and Innovation
By embracing vulnerability, SKAN’s teams began to see each other with greater empathy and understanding. Sharing stories of failure created a space for honesty and connection, laying the foundation for authentic collaboration.
This emotional openness fostered a shared culture — a new language of trust and innovation.
What Participants Had to Say
“Thank you for challenging our perspectives and helping us embrace the value of learning from failure.”
— Tobias Pulm, SKAN event organizer
“A week full of workshops, learnings, dinners, culture and innovation that I’ll remember for a long time.”
— Abat Annamammedova, participant
“During my first week at the company, I already felt part of something big.”
— Michael Hürbin, participant
What Made The Failure Institute’s Sessions Unique
Tobias Pulm summed it up:
“Your sessions on failure culture weren’t just valuable — they challenged perspectives.”
By sharing real stories, SKAN fostered openness, built stronger connections, and created a lasting culture of trust and collaboration. Inspiring global teams with failure stories turned out to be the key to unity.
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