Why Is Failure Important In Leadership

Great Essays
Failure Is Not an Option
Throughout human history, failure has proven the catalyst to virtually every one of man’s greatest inventions; the wheel, the internal combustion engine, powered flight, vaccines, space travel; none of these marvels of mankind’s ingenuity could have been created without steadfast determination and a willingness to persevere beyond the sting of failure’s first assault (Kluger, 2013). That same tenacity must be harnessed in all aspects of mankind’s endeavors, be it the development of the next great invention, the raising of a child, or an individual’s pursuit of greatness in leadership, success cannot exist without out the lessons found in the crucible of failure. It is through this process that failure charts the course to future success, enables improved performance, helps establish best practices, codifies the degree to which leaders take risks, and ultimately demonstrates the only true failure is the failure to believe in the possibility of success (DuBrin, 2012).
Failure as a Catalyst and Integral Part of Success
Among the world’s truly great leaders and inspirational speakers, perhaps no other encapsulates the ideal of perseverance through failure in the goal of achieving success. Despite his diminutive stature, frail exterior, and his fictional existence, Yoda’s words, “Do or do not! There is no try!” have inspired millions to believe that success is truly, the only option. Allowing one to use the excuse, “I’ll try” is virtually a guarantee of failure. In seeking to achieve, one must adopt a mantra of, “I will achieve!” This demonstrated belief in self is the recognition that failure along the way to success are mere lessons to be learned, embraced, and coveted with all the passion one would one would ascribe to the goal itself (Gilsdorf, 2009). The lessons learned from failure represent one way in which the path to success can be navigated. While trial-and-error often carries with it a negative connotation and is rarely the means by which most people begin a calculated effort to achieve success in leadership. Trial-and-error is nevertheless a major aspect of how most leaders develop and ultimately discover a leadership style that achieves the sought after results (DuBrin, 2012). Regardless of the research, education, or interviews conducted, the myriad challenges associated with managing people in the workplace virtually guarantees that all leaders will eventually face a situation about which he or she is ill-prepared resulting is some degree of failure. It is in those moments, where leadership failure provides that leader with an opportunity to learn from his or her mistakes so when again confronted with such a challenge, that leader will taste sweet success (Hyacinth, 2014). Another means through which failure can aid in an individual’s development as a leader comes from a desire to serve. Whether as a subordinate or as a leader, invariably every worker has had the opportunity to observe failed leadership and the resulting dramatic and often heartbreaking side effects. Through such experiences, future leaders are born, filled with a sense of service to provide a better work place, where the lives of so many can be lifted by the actions of just a few well-intentioned honorable people. It is this sense of service that drives many people to pursue leadership positions and achieve success therein (Mirenda, 2009). To demonstrate how each of the above ways failure can lead to success, one need not research long. As an example from of learning from one’s own mistakes to become an exceptional leader, Steve Jobs was famously dismissed from Apple before returning like a phoenix from the ashes to reclaim the leadership of the company and lead it to uncharted levels of
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A first best step in in developing those practices is recognizing that the leader must set the example for all aspects of the work environment. The way in which a leader demonstrates his or her values will have a lasting impact on how employs behave and perform as well (DuBrin, 2012).
Another, and perhaps more difficult aspect of leadership, is creating the conditions in the work place that inspire employs to perform. This is truly an art form, and like many other artistic endeavors, some people are more blessed than other. Nevertheless, there remains no “try,” a leader must do this to achieve success

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