Beginners Guide to Failing Like a Professional

Is there really no room for failure?

When was the last time you failed at something?  Not just the little “oops” but the really humongous blunder that made you think about packing your things and moving out into a hermit’s cave.  Well, too bad that happened.  But really bad things catch up on all of us.  It’s a question how you can fail like a professional!

One thing I learned from years with top executives and successful individuals is that they all fail.  In fact, we all do.  Not that I want to crush your hopes for success as a team or as an individual, but this is a reality we all have to face.  It’s time to take all the drama out of failing and put in some

Admit your shortcoming

The most important step in failing like a professional is to admit your failure.  More than just self-pity it is admitting to the imperfection of humans.  Moreover, it is to acknowledge that fact that something has to be done.  And it has to be done quickly. 

• Stop the illusion that nothing wrong happened
• Stop pointing fingers and start owning the responsibility
• Apologize – especially to those who are affected

From Failure to Learning

Until we realize that our mistakes are opportunities to become better, we will remain in a dismal and horrible state of mind.  Of course we do not want to fail.  But when we do, it is an opportunity to learn from our mistakes.

• Identify what went wrong
• Determine how to rectify the error
• Learn ways to prevent future mishaps

Act Immediately

Failures derail our plans - some to a greater extent than others.  But regardless of how they impact our plans, we have to act appropriately and immediately.  Many small failures are neglected and grow to become headaches in the future.  Acting immediately allows quick response to potential catastrophes.

• Assess the damage
• Determine the impact of what happened
• Employ corrective measures
• Put in place preventive measures

We do not like to fail.  But when we do, the professionals know how to properly handle the situations while the rest simply sink into self-pity and despair.  Worse, others just turn a blind eye to their responsibility. Stop being pathetic and start facing failures like a professional.