Leadership Move #30: Model How To Handle Failure

Quit pretending you’re perfect – even trying to be is a ridiculous timesink.

Excellence versus Perfection

Striving for excellence is good. Striving for perfection is not. To help clarify the difference…

Striving for excellent is a three step ‘competency plus’ model:

1. What do I need to do to meet the minimum requirements of the assignment?
2. What might I do to meaningfully exceed those minimums?
3. Let me go do those things.

Striving for perfection, on the other hand, is a four step ‘never good enough’ construct:

1. What do I need to do to do a perfect job, here?
2. Let me go do those things.
3. Uh-oh, it’s not quite perfect, yet.
4. Repeat steps 1-4, ad infinitum.

Failure in Failure

Any time we’re working on something that’s both challenging, we’re likely to fail. And what that means is that, from time to time, we’re all going to do something that makes us look a bit…foolish.

So be it.

But it’s how we ‘be’ in those moments of failure and foolishness that makes the biggest difference – as in the difference between a good laugh that reinvigorates everyone around you (including yourself) and a continued awkwardness that erodes your credibility, trustworthiness, and relevance, as a leader and team member.

Indeed, there are few things more absurd than a boss who did something wrong and won’t admit it. Truth is, everyone already knows it was a screw-up – the only question is whether the boss is adult enough to admit it. Or aware enough to see it.

Yet so many bosses think that a clever explanation gets them off the hook.

Not so.

Furthermore, this bizarre face-saving behavior encourages – that is to say, trains – staff to react in similar ways when they err.

To state the obvious, that’s a full 180 degrees in the wrong direction.

Excellence in Failure

Mistakes, slip-ups, and failures are a normal part of business. And while it’s important to minimize them when we can, it’s even more important to show your staff how to appropriately handle them when they do occur.

Defensiveness? Blame? Denial? No.

Lessons Learned? Growth and Development? Perspective? Yes.

Show them how to react.

They’re watching and learning from you – whether you’re doing good or not.