Chapter 1 – Failure is Part of It

5 Questions to Reflect

What is one failure or mistake you’ve made?
How did you learn from it personally?
How does it impact the way you lead today?
Describe a juncture along your path where your line wasn’t straight, but you still found success in the end?
How does the understanding that failure is part of learning & growing help you think about thriving in the 5%?

Identify the mistake and the moment that you went wrong. Determine why the situation was a failure and what you can learn from it so that it won’t happen again.
Own it. I don’t know that I can say it any more clearly. Accountability requires taking responsibility of one’s actions, so own what is yours to own. And honestly, leadership is about taking responsibility for all actions – even when they’re not your own.
Make amends. Two of the most powerful words we have in our vocabulary are “I’m sorry.” And it’s not a vague “I’m sorry this situation happened” or “this outcome happened.” It is a specific ownership and apology for what happened.
Look for a quality leader for mentorship. The more open you are to feedback around your own performance, the faster you will hone your leadership skills.
Don’t dwell. Perhaps this is much easier said than done, but there is a vast difference between owning a mistake vs. dwelling on a failure. Address those who are concerned, do your bets to make amends, ignore the haters and move on.