Dealing with Failure

I have written often about failure. I believe it is important that we each push ourselves, take on more and more risk, and experience life (personally and professionally) out on the edge. In doing so, sometimes we will fail. But what we learn from these failures is what defines us, what propels us to even greater heights. Learning from failure is key to the growth and development of any leader.

My daughter sure learned this hard lesson this week. She put herself in the arena and ran a great campaign for her middle school's vice president. She worked hard for weeks on her campaign and gave a great speech in front of the entire school. But she lost. Heartbreaking for her, pretty rough on her campaign manager Dad.

So, we had a talk about failure. We talked about the failures of Abraham Lincoln. We pondered the implications of a man who ran for state legislature and lost; who ran for Congress and was defeated; who ran for the US Senate not once but two times. We talked about a man who lost plenty of elections before he finally won some and ultimately was elected to become the United States President in 1860.

More importantly, we talked about learning from our failures. We discussed how each time Lincoln failed, he jumped right back into the arena and found a way to keep advancing. When Lincoln was defeated for nomination for Congress in 1843, he established his own law practice and ultimately was elected in 1846. When he was defeated for US Senator in 1854, he turned around and got elected to the Illinois state legislature. Lincoln never quit, never stopped advancing, kept learning, and took two steps forward for every step backward.

My daughter (and her campaign manager Dad) are learning again that it is not what happens to you that defines who you are. Rather it is how you respond to it. As with Lincoln, I encouraged my baby to not give up. If she cannot serve as Vice President, she should still be a part of the student council. She should stay engaged and continue to be an active part of the school leadership team. She should keep her head up, congratulate her opponent, and demonstrate to the school that she is a person of character, even when things don't go her way.

We also used this as a chance to do an After Action Review (AAR). We both agreed there were things that she (we!) could have done better. Learning can be so powerful when we open ourselves to honest assessment and focused criticism. I am confident that these are lessons she can apply when she runs for office again.

This little one is not finished growing. She is a trooper who I know will find a way to turn this failure into something good. But she tried. She knew it would be difficult to defeat her opponent and yet she put herself in the arena. She reached high knowing that with great risk comes great rewards. And now, despite her failure, she is better and stronger than she would have been had she played it safe and stayed on the sidelines. I am so proud of her!!

That's my girl. And that's...Leader Business!

Fix Bayonets!

From a British Army Research Laboratory Report:

In May 2004, approximately 20 British troops in Basra were ambushed and forced out of their vehicles by about 100 Shiite militia fighters. When ammunition ran low, the British troops fixed bayonets and charged the enemy. About 20 militiamen were killed in the assault without any British deaths.

The bayonet charge appeared to succeed for three main reasons. First, the attack was the first of its kind in that region and captured the element of surprise. Second, enemy fighters probably believed jihadist propaganda stating that coalition troops were cowards unwilling to fight in close combat, further enhancing the element of surprise. Third, the strict discipline of the British troops overwhelmed the ability of the militia fighters to organize a cohesive counteraction. *****

For those of you who are trying to decide how to succeed in this seemingly impossible economic environment -- fix bayonets. For those who need to break out of the rut of business as usual -- charge! Do something different. Surprise your team, your customers, or your competitors with an approach that they never saw coming. Take the fight to the enemy, be aggressive, and attack.

Here's to those who are not afraid of close combat, who are capable of finding the sort of creative, risk-taking solutions to impossible problems. Here's to those who FIX BAYONETS! That's Leader Business. Hooah!

*****From Bayonets in Basra - A Case Study on the Effects of Irregular Warfare by Edwin Halpain and Justin Walker

Just Say...YES!

I saw the new Jim Carrey movie, The Yes Man, this weekend (see a clip here). I don't want you to mistake me for a movie critic so I won't comment on the value of the movie itself. But I do want you to know that I left the theater inspired by the message of the film: We can all experience life more fully if we would just say yes!

Say yes to new opportunities. Say yes to help a friend...or a stranger. Say yes to visit that place that you have always wanted to see. Say yes to try a strange food or drink (like RED BULL -- a movie reference if you haven't seen it -- Ha!). Say yes to meet someone new...or get to know someone more fully whom you may have been saying "hello" to for years. Say yes to learn a new language or experience a new culture. Say yes to learning how to play an instrument.

The point of the movie is that saying yes, making it a point to do so at every crossroad, will open up unimaginable opportunities. I know it did for me when I said yes to my brothers earlier this year to go to Vietnam and as we plan our next adventure. I felt the same impact when I said yes to serve on several non-profit boards this year. Saying yes has opened up my eyes and helped me grow in immeasurable ways.

What is the leadership application? Perhaps this is the year that we can say yes to taking risk, to going after those Big Hairy Audacious Goals, to establishing new partnerships, to joining new / different / diverse groups, to learning a new skill, to serving on a board of directors or as a volunteer in a community group. This is the year we will have fun at work, lose the cynicism and become positive leaders, put people first, transform our organizations, make a difference, change the world! I am confident that the challenges that we will face in 2009 -- personally, professionally, economically -- will demand that we embrace an entirely different attitude...one that says YES!

As we approach the new year, I am sure that many of you, like me, will be setting goals and establishing resolutions. Let's resolve together to put at the top of the list: THIS YEAR, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO SAY YES!

This is not just Jim Carrey funny business. This is Leader Business!

True Grit

Last weekend at the same hotel in which I was staying in San Diego, I had a chance to see courage up close. I spoke to a few wounded warriors. These were men and women who had made more of a sacrifice than most of us will ever know. These were soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who had fallen in battle, losing limbs and "normal" life along the way.

They had fallen...and gotten back up. These troopers were in San Diego to take place in a training camp for "Paralympics." As one young man remarked to me, it was a chance to see that life goes on, that they could still compete, and that there were others like them. They were racing, playing sports, and pushing themselves to new heights. It was truly inspirational to see these young people and their zeal for life.

I saw this same spark when I visited the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio a few years ago. This amazing place was funded through private donations to make the finest technology available to help wounded soldiers get their lives together. I learned that the progress we are making in prosthetics is incredible. These kids were running, surfing, climbing walls, competing. They were getting the lives back, restoring their confidence, rebuilding their dreams. They were learning that there is no "I can't" in a warriors life. They were demonstrating that true courage is seen in those who fall...and get back up.

I am always humbled to be in the presence of these warriors. No doubt they have all struggled with the transition that their injury has forced upon them. But to see the commitment to full recovery as they grit their teeth and keep trying...that puts me in my place. To see them smile, to laugh, to sweat -- and be missing one or both limbs -- that helps with my perspective.

You see, I complain about how tired I am. I whine about little aches and pains. I moan about the difficulty of my tasks at work. I say, "I can't" way too easily. And then I see these kids. And I know I need to suck it up! I know I've got it good. I know that I need to be a better role model, a better example to others, a better leader.

I know that these kids represent what true courage is all about. It is seen when one puts everything on the line, knowing the risk, and never hesitating to do the right thing. And it is never more evident than when one falls...and gets back up. Those are warriors. Those are leaders!

That's Leader Business.

*****If you are interested in learning more about the Intrepid Center or the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, please visit their site! Hooah!

My Greatest Failures

“OK, Major Magness. The enemy movement will be turned here, delayed there, and will ultimately make their way in the south to Red Pass. Your job is simple, don’t let them through. You must BLOCK their movement through the pass. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir, I won’t let you down.”

Well…I let him down. I knew he said block but I had interpreted it to mean delay. No movement became slow movement. The enemy got through. I failed.

As I mentioned on a previous post, my favorite interview question is, “What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?” So the question is not so much the subject of my great failure above, but what I learned from it.

From my failure to block, I learned that -- “block means block.” When someone tells me to do something, I better deliver. If I don’t, I am letting the team down. I better accomplish the mission. No excuses.

Have I learned this lesson? I hope that I have. I understand the importance of accomplishing the mission. I know that people are counting on me – be they customers, stakeholders, my teammates, or my boss. I won’t let them down. Have I learned from my failure? Ask my teammates!

The point is -- I have failed a lot. More times than I care to remember. But I like to believe that I have fallen forward, that I have pushed the envelope, that I have failed while reaching for new levels of greatness. And I have used each of these as an opportunity to build my leadership muscle density. Each repetition, each failure, has been a chance to grow, to improve, to become a better leader.

-- I have hired the wrong person and learned to take my time when hiring, solicit other opinions, check references, and to value the importance of measuring a person against the culture you seek to create. I failed on all of these and made a horrible selection.

-- I have failed to communicate important projects and initiatives to my boss and he was embarrassed to learn of them from someone else. Man…that was a butt-chewing. Now I over-communicate, ensuring my boss hears from me – good news or bad.

-- I have failed to take action when a teammate was not meeting the standard and watched as they ended up hurting the team’s performance…and morale. I learned to take action immediately, to not let my failure to make a correction create a new standard.

-- I have failed to tell people thank you, to celebrate success, to reward teammates for their hard work. I have learned to be generous with praise, to do so often and in public, and to never underestimate the value of a twenty cent ribbon (i.e. a military achievement medal or a simple token of appreciation).

These are a few of my failures – and what I have learned from them. We are reading every day of colossal failures in business, in politics, and in sports. I hope we can all learn from them as well.

So I ask you today: What is your greatest failure…and what have you learned from it? Leave a comment below and let others benefit from your growth. That’s Leader Business!

You Better -- "Bring It!"

I will admit to being a pretty quick judge of people. I can usually determine within about 2 minutes of meeting someone new if they are a person I would want to work with / work for or even if they are someone with whom I would want to hang out.

I have hired and promoted many people. I have rated the performance and potential of hundreds of others. I regularly speak to different groups of leaders and I am always on the prowl for emerging leaders who might join our team. I have served with and for some of the nation’s finest leaders – in and out of the Army. There is one simple quality that differentiates the good from the great.

What am I looking for?

Energy. Passionate, exciting, inspirational energy. That’s it. If you’ve got it, I think we can work well together. I will do anything to work for you or to get you on my team. If you don’t, if you can't bring it, well….

Regardless of what you do, isn’t that what we are all looking for – someone who will inspire us, cause us to jump out of bed, change our lives so we can’t wait to get to work and do battle together? Aren’t we all looking for people with the sort of energy who will rally the team, never get down, never quit? Don’t we all want to hang around with people who can blend work and play, who can give and take, who care deeply about each other and what they are doing?

In my leadership experience, energy produces:

-- A burning desire to succeed…no matter what!
-- A willingness to share in the hardships of battle, to do one’s part.
-- A proactive mindset that anticipates problems rather than just reacting to them.
-- A willingness to fail, to pick up the pieces, and to keep fighting.
-- An ability to accept blame, share credit, and incorporate lessons learned.
-- An ability to follow-up on ideas, to take risks, to push themselves and the team to levels never before imagined.
-- A passion for the team over self.

I may be oversimplifying my analysis. But I think so much of leadership is about energy. If you don’t have it, there is absolutely no way that those who look to you will. If you can’t bring it (and sometimes fake it…without people figuring it out!), you’re not ready to lead.

At least not on my team. I’m looking for energy. That’s Leader Business!

My Greatest Failure

I have been conducting a number of job interviews lately for senior leaders in my organization. One of the questions I use frequently is, "What is your greatest failure, and why?" I am interested in seeing how candidates think by identifying where they came up short, and what they learned from it. I'm looking for risk takers and people who understand that failure is so often an opportunity to learn and grow.

What I have been hearing far too frequently is something like this: "Wow...I didn't see that coming. I don't know that I've ever really failed at anything. I'm not sure how I'd answer that."

I have a big problem with this answer. Are they suggesting that they've never taken on a major challenge with significant risk? Do they think that they have performed as well as they can...every time, that there is not another level of performance. Do they really think that they can do no better? Are they not committed to constant improvement and continuous learning? Have they never put themselves in difficult positions or taken on big projects, some of which inevitably come up short?

I'd have no problem answering this problem. I've made plenty of mistakes. I've failed more often than I likely would have time to address were I asked this question. I'm not perfect. Ask my bosses, my subordinates, my family! I've had plenty of opportunities to learn from my shortcomings.

I've hired someone that I later regretted. I failed to keep superiors informed of looming problems -- that they later learned of from someone else. I failed to recognize excellence in my subordinates when they did well. I did not anticipate problems. I did not complete a mission on time, on budget, or with the quality that was expected of me. I have aimed high...and landed low!

Shall I go on? I have failed plenty. But I believe that each of these was an opportunity to learn. I'm better now because of these personal and professional setbacks. I have increased my leadership muscle density through multiple repetitions of trial and error. And now...I'm bigger, stronger, faster than I might have been had I never failed!

So how would you answer this question? If you think you've never failed, are you taking on big enough challenges? And if you are, either personally or as an organization, are you taking the time to learn (see After Action Reviews -- AARs), to identify how you can take your performance to the next level? Are you lifting heavy enough weights to take your leadership to the point of failure?

No leader should struggle identifying where they have came up short. It is clear that whether personally or professionally, failure is the seed of future greatness. That makes it Leader Business.