Tuesday, May 26, 2009
I Failed—Now what?!
All leaders have failed. Exceptional leaders have failed and recovered boldly.
Spend any time in the corporate world and you will see many failures. Some are inconsequential; others can destroy a company. Some day, you will find yourself associated with a failure. Be it big or small it’s in how you recover from the situation that people will remember.
What suffers most after a dismal showing is a person’s self-confidence. Doubt, guilt, and shame invade your thoughts and feelings. Your mind is a powerful tool to be used by your higher self. Tap into those positive reserves.
How to Recover From Failure
1. Take small steps. Think of recovery as stepping stones. Get small “wins” under your belt to begin increasing your confidence.
2. Be patient – with yourself, your boss, your team. You will need to earn back their trust and faith in you. This will take a bit of time as people witness your reaction to the situation, and your consistent follow-up behavior.
3. Learn from the experience and share what changes you will implement in the future.
4. Don’t hide. Be courageous and draw from past successes to get you through. You are not a bad person just because you try something and fail a few times. Keep trying until you find a solution.
Remember, you have the ability to choose a new way of thinking; a new response. Stop the negative thinking and you’ll soon be on the road to recovery.
Until next month…Live like you mean it!
Marjorie