Turning a recent failure into success

Your team worked on a big presentation for weeks, putting in long hours and going above and beyond anything you could have hoped. They did the research, made some great insights, and came up with a killer strategy. On the big day, you all left the client presentation barley able to contain some hi-fives. So imagine the disappointment when the project was awarded to someone else. How could this have happened? And more importantly, how can your team recover their confidence without becoming jaded? This is where your leadership skills can really inspire.

Remind them that failure is part of success

If you can’t celebrate the victory, at least celebrate the opportunity. Sometimes just being in the running is a privilege in itself, which should not be overlooked. Boost morale by celebrating the outstanding effort of your staff. The smaller accomplishments made along the way are each victories in themselves. You cannot highlight these enough.

Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping-stones to success. ~Dale Carnegie

Point out the lessons learned through failure

Whatever type of project you were shooting for, chances are your team has learned a lot through the process. Research what kinds of improvements can be made in the future, and if possible, what your competition may have done differently to win them the job. Be careful not to single out any one person or department, and avoid blame altogether. Document your lessons learned, and arm your team with that intelligence for the next challenge.

It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure. ~Bill Gates

Present them with a new and exciting goal

It can be hard to revive a weary team after a major setback. Rather than spending too much time dwelling on the past, steer your team’s vision towards the future. Presenting a new goal will instill them with the confidence to succeed, and is the best way to remind them of your faith in their abilities.

Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. ~Henry Ford

It’s a cliché, but winning really isn’t everything. We would not recognize our victories without a little defeat – and after all, it’s what we all signed up for. A failure now can be instrumental in winning later.