Failing Successfully, Part Two

by Mark S. Fulton

There was a firefighters’ strike in England in 1978. The British army was called in to take over firefighting duties until the dispute was settled.

One day an elderly woman in south London called the fire department to rescue her cat. Responding promptly, a band of British soldiers cleverly and carefully coaxed the cat from its perch in a tree.

The grateful cat owner insisted that the heroes stay for tea. Afterward, while driving off in a flourish of farewells and festive spirits, the substitute firefighters inadvertently ran over and killed the cat.

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry,” wrote Scottish poet Robert Burns. Some might take that thought a step further and agree with Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong—and at the worst possible time.

While Murphy may have been too pessimistic, don’t discount the fact that every endeavor contains an element of risk and the potential for failure. There is no fool-proof guarantee that even the simplest enterprise won’t go down in flames. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Tennis great John McEnroe said, “The important thing is to learn a lesson every time you lose.” Successful athletes in any sport improve their game by reflecting on their performance and correcting or adjusting their game for future competition. Similarly, you can glean helpful insights from your failures and make them part of future victories.

Failure also paves the way to success by refocusing your efforts. Legendary college football coach Woody Hayes once said, “There’s nothing that cleanses the soul like getting the the hell kicked out of you.” Failure helps you zero in on what matters and what works.

In my last column, I examined four of the nine categories of business failure identified by John Maxwell in his book, “Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones”. The first four failure factors are: lack of focus; inadequate commitment; unwillingness to change and bad fit.

Here are the remaining five business failure traps Maxwell identifies and some ideas for getting out of them:

• Relying on talent alone. Film legend Greta Garbo retired from moviemaking at age 36. When an interviewer flattered her about her genius, she remarked, “My talents fall within definite limitations. I am not as versatile an actress as some think.” Garbo correctly recognized that talent may bring you acclaim but it will only take you so far.

Pinning your hopes on talent alone ignores the importance of other attributes of success, such as adaptability and determination. Talent may sell you to a prospective client, but you’ve got to be ready to hang in there when the winds of change buffet your business or waves of adversity rock your relationships.

• Poor people skills. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” However, “getting along” involves a whole set of competencies beyond just being friendly.

Are you a good listener? Do you exercise emotional intelligence in your business relationships? People who feel understood, accepted and appreciated are more likely to say what’s on their mind. Both your customers and your employees will communicate better with you if you make an extra effort to let them know you care.

• Negative attitude. Your attitude can be either an obstacle or an catalyst to success. “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude,” says motivational guru Zig Ziglar.

If you see the dark cloud behind every silver lining, you have already given failure first dibs on your future. Ponder the power of negative thinking represented in this poem:

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t!
If you want to win, but think you can’t
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.

• Acting on poor information. Information overload can make you feel like you’re headed for a mental meltdown. Nevertheless, information is what we thrive on to make wise decisions. That’s why it’s so important to have a system for evaluating input before you act on it.

Periodically reevaluate your information sources for accuracy and thoroughness. Make sure you have the best data you can get before you launch an initiative or respond to a crisis. Set high standards for looking before you leap.

• Lack of goals. New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll wind up someplace else.” In his own special way, Yogi put his finger on one of life’s great truths: Without a goals, no matter where you wind up in life, it will probably be someplace other than you intended.

Here’s an easy strategy for setting and reaching your goals: identify where you want to go, choose a route to get you there, set a timetable for reaching each of the mileposts along the way and take the first step.

You can avoid failure simply by saying nothing, doing nothing and being nothing. A better choice is to use failures as fuel to go full speed ahead. Just be careful not to run over the cat when you do.

Copyright 2002 © Mark S. Fulton