Failure Is What Can Prepare Servant Leaders And Their People For Future Success

One of the things we hear often in our world is that failure is a bad thing. But during my 43 years in business I have learned one thing; failure has been one of my best teachers. I didn't always recognize it at first when I went through the fire, but as time moved forward 1 discovered  how it helped me move forward.  I once read a quote from Brian Tracy that said, "You Can Only Grow If You're Willing To Feel Awkward and Uncomfortable When You Try Something New." Life is full of valleys and mountain tops coming and going day after day. No one is perfect but too many leaders put on a mask and act as though they are perfect. Not realizing that the people who work with them can see right through that mask.

So How Does a Servant Leader  Handle Failure With Their People?

1. They help their people see and understand their failure by teaching ,not by punishment or embarrassment. no if people keep making the same mistake over and over again that is another story. One of my favorite sayings I picked up from someone was,"Only Make New Mistakes".
2. Help people understand if you are going to be innovative and take risk you will fail sometimes.  Going to the next level in anything brings some pain.
3. Helps their people understand that everyone fails and they are not alone; but the strong get back up and try and try again.
4. Help them learn that failure and the "keep trying attitude" bring about perseverance.
5. How  servant leaders treat failure builds trust with their people. Trust must be earned and dealing with failure either  builds it up or tears it down.
6. Servant leaders see failure as "teachable moments." those moments you come along side your people to motivate and encourage them to get back up and face the next thing.
7. A servant leaders people have learned they can speak truth to them and don't have to hide things. When things get hidden "long lasting failure and loss occurs.'" Only when things are  brought out in the open can they be resolved at a much faster speed.
8. Servant leaders know that failure is a prerequisite for success.

So the next time you fail at something realize you have to make a choice. Will I let it get me down or will I let it be a teachable moment helping me to stand up ,dust off my clothes and get ready for the next opportunity to succeed. Don't stay in the valley and get ready to climb those mountains of opportunity that come your way.