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During our development program, we had a C-level executive come to discuss leadership with our class. He made it clear that when it comes to success, the failures we endure are just as important as the wins, and failing is essential to being a great leader. He told us that if we hadn’t experienced a big failure in our lives, one would be coming soon. He was right on.
A fear of failure spans every generation. Not to
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Comments
03.10.09
This is an excellent post. I agree with everything that's written in this article which is rare for me to write.
The only additional advice I can think of offhand for dealing with failure is don't beat yourself up or be too hard on yourself. Learn the lesson(s),pick up the pieces, and move on to the best of your ability. Also, as you say, don't be afraid to ask for help.
Thank you for writing this post and sharing your experiences.
03.10.09
I agree with Mark.. dont beat your self up
Just chalk it up to experience and learn from it
03.10.09
Great post--loved the subject and your approach to it.
Also, I would recommend against Britney's version of Stronger. It just seems that in order to emerge from the depths of failure, you wouldn't want to be listening to one, too.
Ouch! Sorry, Britney. Stick with the Kanye!
03.10.09
Hi,
I am a contributor for leading associates, and I wrote this article.
@Mark-Thank you! It is really hard not to beat yourself up when you are in a rut. Great tip.
@Rattlerman-That is exactly what needs to be done. Thanks for the comment!
03.10.09
The best thing to do with failure is look at it. Why did it happen? At what points could it have been prevented, or at least mitigated? How can you recognize those points in the future?
My mother was a teacher, and she always felt that tests were learning opportunities. They allowed you to learn what you did and didn't know. Failure offers that same opportunity.
03.10.09
It also depends on the scale of failure. For someone like my wife, the paramedic, failure means someone dies. You may learn from it, but the cost is too high.
"Other millennials are of the “what doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger” mantra and have dealt with failure."
What kills your patient get you sued.
03.10.09
@Andrew-Thanks! I happen to be a closet fan of B.Spears...she has made her comeback, and she is my inspiration to get the gym in the morning :)
@KateNonymous-thanks for the comment. Taking a step back and analyzing is always a good idea.
@JRandom42-Yes, like most things and for most people success and failure is not black and white. There is a spectrum that is unique to each person. When your wife has a work failure it is catastrophic. In most instances though (especially early in our careers), a big failure will not wind up in a lawsuit. Fear shouldn't be your motivator to succeed...in most industries anyways. Thanks for your perspective!
03.10.09
@JRandom42, and yet people die, no matter how hard your wife works, or how skilled she is, or how up-to-date her equipment is. Health care also evolves from failure, at all its levels.
03.10.09
@Katenonymous
That they do. But the failures of actions taken and of training are far different than failures of equipment and timing.
It's one thing to have an equipment failure or fail to be there in time, it's far different to make the wrong diagnosis, do the wrong corrective action or administer the wrong IV or drug.
03.10.09
And that's why it's all the more important to learn from them when they do happen. What are the contributing factors? How can they be mitigated? Should shifts be shorter? Should labeling change? Should there be even more frequent training? And that's off the top of my head; clearly there are far more questions to be asked in such a situation, depending on circumstances.
If the learning doesn't happen, the person who really pays too high a cost is the next patient in the same situation.
03.10.09
Thanks for sharing your story and insight. I think there's a difference between failure and mistakes. Failure, to me, is when you take a risk - like it sounds like you did - and it doesn't work. Mistakes are when you do something dumb or silly or off-handed or just plain wrong. With failure you have to put yourself out there. We can make a zillion mistakes everyday, but if we don't extend ourselves and take risks, we probably aren't going to fail. And, I agree, failure truly teaches about who you are. So, I guess, congratulations on failing - In a way, that's success in and of itself.
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