How to Pivot From Failures as a Professional
In our high-performance culture, the word “failure” has a negative connotation attached to it. From a young age, activities in school and sports communicate that we are unsuccessful when we fail. Unfortunately, this idea often follows us into our lives as adults, too, specifically, in the workplace. When a sales pitch is unsuccessful, or a client chooses a different company, we see it as a loss. But what if we could utilize our struggles as a way to succeed and convert “failures” into invaluable experiences?
Consider the following realities about failure next time you don’t meet expectations, whether they are your own or someone else’s:
Failures are a learning opportunity.
Not all models or plans are perfect the first time around; just ask Jeff Bezos. Before becoming a multi-billionaire, Bezos attempted to launch an online auction site that failed miserably. Bezos used this failed idea and reshaped it into what we now know as Amazon. There are other similar stories such as Evan Williams, the founder of Twitter, and Fred Smith, the FedEx founder. These big-name businessmen all used their failures as opportunities from which to learn what they had done wrong. The next time around, they fixed their mistakes and did things better.
As leaders in the business world, we can do the same for our companies. Not every client will be happy with what you put together, but we can pivot off those failures and disappointments to restrategize for the next opportunity that comes our way. Instead of pushing those failures to the back burner of your brain like most of us are tempted to do, try instead to keep it at the front, looking at the different sides of it as if it’s a 3D cube to ensure that you understand what went wrong, where you went right and what you could do differently going forward.
Failure teaches endurance and persistence.
Endurance and persistence are two invaluable traits to have as a leader. These qualities are tested when we fail and are tempted to give up. In these moments, we can choose to keep doing things the same way or execute a new plan based on what we have learned.
We are called to be examples as leaders. Showing the willingness to search for the best solution even after repeated mistakes or failures demonstrates the endurance and persistence that you ultimately want your followers to emulate. When the people with whom you work see your work ethic in your lowest times, they will support you in your best times, too. We want to work and surround ourselves with those who strive and have the endurance to have the characteristics to put our teams in a place of success rather than giving up and quitting.
Failure makes us human.
As bosses and leaders, our most important customers are our employees. They’re the ones who keep the operation up and running day in and day out to serve our customers. Owning up to and sharing in something like a mistake creates not only common ground to show we are all fallible, but approachability. It is much easier to approach someone who has been there than someone who hasn’t met their employees in the middle. A little dose of humility goes a long way in building trust and camaraderie with your team. Showing vulnerability, owning your mistakes, and sharing with your team what you learned from your mistake will endure them to you.
Failure doesn’t define our success, but how we learn from it and respond to it does.
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