(1 minute read)
“Failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success!”
ARIANNA HUFFINGTON
Some of the greatest lessons in the ongoing learnings of leadership, arise from errors, mistakes, and setbacks.
While they can be frustrating and challenging in the moment, they don’t need to be soul-destroying, or career-ending.
Industrial giant, Henry Ford, famously quipped; “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again; this time more intelligently.”
More recently, the great Michael Jordan openly stated; “I’ve failed over, and over, and over again. That is why I succeed.”
As an aspiring, existing, or developing leader, you will experience letdowns. How you respond to them informs others (and yourself) about your character and resilience.
Self-awareness plays a critical role in the process of developing as a leader. Knowing how you respond to challenges, obstacles, and setbacks is essential to moving through or beyond them. Identify whether your actions and behaviours after a setback are helping or hindering your overall progression.
Indeed, learning from our failures can prove to be one of the true superpowers of effective leadership.
“A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new.”
ALBERT EINSTEIN