Experiencing failure can be disheartening and make you feel inadequate. However, as Winston Churchill wisely said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” In a professional context, failure can open doors to unexpected opportunities and even greater success than you initially envisioned. Here are some techniques to help you analyze your approach and transform failure into a catalyst for success.
Reevaluate Your Strategy
Failure often forces you to reevaluate your strategy. This was the case for the founders of Airbnb when they faced multiple rejections from investors during their early days. Instead of giving up, they redesigned their website and implemented a professional photography program to make listings more appealing. Today, Airbnb is a multi-billion-dollar company.
How can you reevaluate your strategy after a failure? Conduct an after-action review (AAR) to identify what went well and what didn’t. Document your findings and create an action plan to address areas needing improvement. This process of reevaluation can be instrumental in discovering innovative solutions and achieving greater success than you had anticipated.
Uncover New Opportunities
Failure can reveal unique opportunities. The invention of Post-it Notes is a prime example. Dr. Spencer Silver at 3M intended to create a super-strong adhesive but instead ended up with tacky glue. Rather than seeing this as a failure, his colleague, Art Fry, saw it as a perfect solution for stick-on bookmarks, leading to the creation of Post-it Notes.
What new opportunities can you identify from your recent experiences? By treating failure as a prototype, you can uncover new solutions that you might have not considered otherwise. To facilitate this process, employ Edward de Bono’s “Six Thinking Hats” method to examine issues from six different perspectives: logical, emotional, optimistic, pessimistic, creative, and process-oriented. This technique can help systematically analyze failures, ensuring no stone is left unturned, and generate fresh ideas to uncover hidden opportunities.
Drive Innovation
Failure is a powerful catalyst that can force you to think outside the box. When Steve Jobs was removed from Apple, the company he co-founded, he used the setback as an opportunity to propel the establishment of NeXT and Pixar. These ventures solidified him as a visionary leader and ultimately transformed his business into a multi-billion dollar enterprise.
How can you drive innovation in your projects? By involving individuals with no background in the issue, you can gain new perspectives that may spur creative solutions. To maximize their collaboration, engage in unrestricted brainstorming, encouraging the inclusion of all ideas, even those that seem impractical. Select the most promising concepts and test them on a small scale to allow for adjustments and learning with minimal risk.
By implementing these techniques, you too can unlock new levels of opportunities. Failure shouldn’t be the end but a steppingstone to success. So, the next time you face a setback, use it as an opportunity to drive improvement and pioneer groundbreaking innovation.
Adeline (Addy) Maissonet currently serves as a Division Chief and Contracting Officer for the U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC) – Fort Eustis, Virginia. She is a senior advisor in all matters related to the acquisition of goods and services for the federal government. Addy has unlimited contracting warrant authority and holds an MBA in Management and Contracting Level III Certification under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act. She is a graduate from Cornell University – Executive Leadership Certificate Program. In her free time, Addy enjoys hiking and overlanding with her family and friends.
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense.
Photo credit: Maria Stavreva at iStock
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