In the tech industry we often hear about how venture capitalists love to fund people who have failed.
In business magazines we read that failure should be celebrated, encouraged, and even rewarded.
Apply this in your business.
1. When you hire a sales person, do you look for someone who never meets quota?
2. When you hire a technical person, are you excited to consider a candidate who cannot pass a certification exam or has angered clients?
I do not think so.
The bottom line is NOT that failure is great, but mistakes can help people, processes and products improve when you intentionally and systematically learn from the situation. Here is one approach:
1. How did the person fail?
2. What did they learn from it?
3. What have they changed based on what they learned?
4. How were their relationships with people who were involved in or hurt by the situation affected by the failure?
#3 and #4 are most important for intentional leaders.
Do not assume your people learn from failure. Follow-up with them in a positive, encouraging manner to confirm they are learning from their mistakes. |