Any time you fail at something, whether it’s a long-term goal or a small project, the first thing you should do is take a step back and detach from the situation. Work backward by tracing the thinking and beliefs you had at the time the mistake was made, and look to see where you made a misstep. Ask why you made the decisions you did and what you can do differently next time.Once you have worked out the reasons behind a failure, you can put together a plan of action to move forward positively and get the results you want while avoiding making the same mistakes again

Why can failing be a good thing?

1. Be transparent about your own mistakes.2. Remember that change won’t happen overnight.3. Consider corporate training and learning opportunities.4. Encourage creativity, and support your employees when things go wrong.

There are several ways to do this.

<div dir="ltr"><time dir="ltr">Apr 22, 2022,</time><time dir="ltr">09:30am EDT</time></div><div>|</div>Peter Done is Group Managing Director and founder of business services specialist <a href="https://www.peninsulagrouplimited.com/" title="https://www.peninsulagrouplimited.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://www.peninsulagrouplimited.com/" aria-label="Peninsula Group" dir="ltr">Peninsula Group</a>.<figure><img src="https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/5f3a9aabb370cb99ea5ba4b5/Male-business-executive-leading-project-discussion/0x0.jpg?fit=crop&amp;format=jpg&amp;crop=5500,3667,x0,y456,safe" alt="Male business executive leading project discussion" width="334" height="223"><figcaption dir="auto">GETTY</figcaption></figure>Failure is a part of life, regardless of who you are. In the workplace and in our personal lives, we all suffer momentary setbacks and defeats.It’s rare to succeed without first having failed, so why is failure treated as something to be ashamed of by so many, especially when it comes to business? When things go wrong, many people’s first reaction is to point the finger of blame at others instead of accepting responsibility or looking at their own actions. This only makes things worse.Often, it’s not just the act of failing that people are afraid of; it’s the consequences. You might get an angry call from a client, a deadline might be missed or a product might launch before it’s ready for the market. The fear of being blamed for mistakes can be overwhelming for some and cause intense feelings of embarrassment and anxiety. The more responsibility you have, the worse a fear of failure can become. Learning to deal with these feelings and face them head-on is the first step toward a healthy relationship with failure.PROMOTEDWhy can failing be a good thing?Any time you fail at something, whether it’s a long-term goal or a small project, the first thing you should do is take a step back and detach from the situation. Work backward by tracing the thinking and beliefs you had at the time the mistake was made, and look to see where you made a misstep. Ask why you made the decisions you did and what you can do differently next time.Once you have worked out the reasons behind a failure, you can put together a plan of action to move forward positively and get the results you want while avoiding making the same mistakes again.<div>Recommended For You</div><div>1</div><h3 data-ga-track="Most popular Automated Recirc 3">The LSE Alumni Turning Their University Into A Startup Powerhouse</h3><div><button data-ga-track="Recirc For You - Thumbs Up - blogandpostid/blog/post/2983-61502670de12b30006748dcf" data-vars-event-label="Recirc For You - Thumbs Up - blogandpostid/blog/post/2983-61502670de12b30006748dcf">More stories like this</button></div><div><button data-ga-track="Recirc For You - Thumbs Down - blogandpostid/blog/post/2983-61502670de12b30006748dcf" data-vars-event-label="Recirc For You - Thumbs Down - blogandpostid/blog/post/2983-61502670de12b30006748dcf">Fewer stories like this</button></div>Furthermore, realize that failure is not a reflection of who you are; it’s merely the outcome of a situation. You could have had a misplaced belief or incorrect information that led you to make the decisions you did. It happens to the best of us, and it has happened many times over the course of my career.In fact, my company, which provides HR and health and safety support to businesses, was built out of failure. After losing an employment tribunal case in another business we owned, we realized there was a huge opportunity in our current market. If we hadn’t lost that case, we never would have known just how hard it is for small and medium enterprises to access affordable and reliable legal advice. We took this lesson and ran with it; we grew from an idea to a few people in a room to the company we are today.<img src="https://img.connatix.com/pid-429f54b5-51e1-4b38-bc41-6be3b94be207/429f54b5-51e1-4b38-bc41-6be3b94be207/1.png" alt="" width="36" height="36"><cnx>Forbes Small Business</cnx><img src="https://img.connatix.com/pid-429f54b5-51e1-4b38-bc41-6be3b94be207/97cfa705-4611-44af-a04b-a08d714121f6/fed47b33-a3af-4daa-a4c9-35855a7fa251.jpg?crop=334:188,smart&amp;width=334&amp;height=188&amp;format=jpeg&amp;quality=60&amp;fit=crop" alt="Saving The Earth, One Startup At A Time: How 3 Entrepreneurs Are Supporting The Cause" width="334" height="188"><img src="https://img.connatix.com/pid-429f54b5-51e1-4b38-bc41-6be3b94be207/97cfa705-4611-44af-a04b-a08d714121f6/40a48161-9548-4a90-ad7c-53ce7610ac63.jpg?crop=334:188,smart&amp;width=334&amp;height=188&amp;format=jpeg&amp;quality=60&amp;fit=crop" alt="#Investinourplanet, Innovating Cultures Respect Mother Earth" width="334" height="188"><img src="https://img.connatix.com/pid-429f54b5-51e1-4b38-bc41-6be3b94be207/97cfa705-4611-44af-a04b-a08d714121f6/57f84291-eb0c-4a01-9589-acf6c8dd32d4.jpg?crop=334:188,smart&amp;width=334&amp;height=188&amp;format=jpeg&amp;quality=60&amp;fit=crop" alt="Taiwan Unicorn Appier Bets On AI-Driven Software For Digital Marketing" width="334" height="188"><img src="https://img.connatix.com/pid-429f54b5-51e1-4b38-bc41-6be3b94be207/97cfa705-4611-44af-a04b-a08d714121f6/06a1e79e-7578-4eb0-bd6d-01db542604d1.jpg?crop=334:188,smart&amp;width=334&amp;height=188&amp;format=jpeg&amp;quality=60&amp;fit=crop" alt="Northwest Health Care Company Takes Sustainability Seriously" width="334" height="188"><img src="https://img.connatix.com/pid-429f54b5-51e1-4b38-bc41-6be3b94be207/97cfa705-4611-44af-a04b-a08d714121f6/49756153-9a5a-4ffe-b10b-f78fb56bda64.jpg?crop=334:188,smart&amp;width=334&amp;height=188&amp;format=jpeg&amp;quality=60&amp;fit=crop" alt="University Challenge: U.K. Jobs Platform For Cash-Strapped Students Eyes The U.S." width="334" height="188">But even once we’d started the company, for the first three years, we had very little success. Why? Because while we had a solid idea and product, we didn’t know how to market and sell it. Again, we learned from our mistakes and started selling our products on a subscription model, 30 years before subscription businesses became the way forward. We now have a thriving global business because we turned a problem into an opportunity.Once you see the lesson to be learned in every failure, you must put your best foot forward, get up and try again.Of course, this can be nerve-wracking at first. But don’t let fear of failure prevent you from pursuing your dreams. This will only result in negative, self-fulfilling thoughts and future failure. As a leader, it’s up to you to create a culture that accepts failure and encourages employees to embrace and learn from it.There are several ways to do this.1. Be transparent about your own mistakes. The most important way to create a culture that embraces failure is to be open about your own failures and share your past experiences. Every single person who works at my company knows our story; it’s part of the brand identity. Don’t be afraid to show your employees that you have failed just like them. This is not a sign of weakness. Rather, this is a sign of strength, and it proves to yourself and others just how much you can go on to achieve.2. Remember that change won’t happen overnight. Be patient, and keep trying. As Wayne Gretsky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Be persistent. Constantly work at it and refine the way you do things. It’s all a learning process.3. Consider corporate training and learning opportunities. Perhaps you could hold workshops where you can discuss why something didn’t work, delve into the reasons behind the failure and explore the negative feelings that often go hand in hand with failing. Focus on ways to handle failures, what lessons can be learned, and how people can move on in order to grow professionally.4. Encourage creativity, and support your employees when things go wrong. The aforementioned workshops should also be about sending the message that you encourage innovation and experimentation in the workplace. Many people are afraid to try new things due to fear of failure. But an entrepreneurial spirit is one that should be encouraged, even though not every idea will be a success. That’s OK. It’s life. You don’t know if something will succeed until you give it a go. If it doesn’t, then it’s a learning experience for everyone involved, which can only be a good thing.The best leaders know this and are not afraid to support their team, which, in turn, can give them the confidence to keep trying new things, bring ideas to the table and always strive to do their best.<a href="https://councils.forbes.com/forbesbusinesscouncil?utm_source=forbes.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=forbes-links&amp;utm_content=in-article-ad-links" title="https://councils.forbes.com/forbesbusinesscouncil?utm_source=forbes.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=forbes-links&amp;utm_content=in-article-ad-links" data-ga-track="InternalLink:https://councils.forbes.com/forbesbusinesscouncil?utm_source=forbes.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=forbes-links&amp;utm_content=in-article-ad-links" aria-label="Forbes Business Council" dir="ltr">Forbes Business Council</a> is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. <a href="https://councils.forbes.com/qualify?utm_source=forbes.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=forbes-links&amp;utm_term=fbc&amp;utm_content=in-article-ad-links" title="https://councils.forbes.com/qualify?utm_source=forbes.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=forbes-links&amp;utm_term=fbc&amp;utm_content=in-article-ad-links" data-ga-track="InternalLink:https://councils.forbes.com/qualify?utm_source=forbes.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=forbes-links&amp;utm_term=fbc&amp;utm_content=in-article-ad-links" aria-label="Do I qualify?" dir="ltr"><em data-ga-track="InternalLink:https://councils.forbes.com/qualify?utm_source=forbes.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=forbes-links&amp;utm_term=fbc&amp;utm_content=in-article-ad-links" dir="ltr">Do I qualify?</a><div dir="ltr">Follow me on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.twitter.com/peter__done" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">Twitter</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-done-539866146/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">LinkedIn</a>.&nbsp;Check out&nbsp;my&nbsp;<a href="https://www.peninsulagrouplimited.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">website</a>.&nbsp;</div><img src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/400x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F61e09031bccfe660803806f0%2F960x0.jpg%3FcropX1%3D203%26cropX2%3D743%26cropY1%3D86%26cropY2%3D626" alt="Peter Done" width="44" height="44">

Failure is a part of life, regardless of who you are. In the workplace and in our personal lives, we all suffer momentary setbacks and defeats.

As a leader, it’s up to you to create a culture that accepts failure and encourages employees to embrace and learn from it.

Published Ideas

Peter Done is Group Managing Director and founder of business services specialist <a href="https://www.peninsulagrouplimited.com/">Peninsula Group </a>.

Failure is a part of life, regardless of who you are. In the workplace and in our personal lives, we all suffer momentary setbacks and defeats.

It’s rare to succeed without first having failed, so why is failure treated as something to be ashamed of by so many, especially when it comes to business? When things go wrong, many people’s first reaction is to point the finger of blame at others instead of accepting responsibility or looking at their own actions. This only makes things worse.

Often, it’s not just the act of failing that people are afraid of; it’s the consequences. You might get an angry call from a client, a deadline might be missed or a product might launch before it’s ready for the market. The fear of being blamed for mistakes can be overwhelming for some and cause intense feelings of embarrassment and anxiety. The more responsibility you have, the worse a fear of failure can become. Learning to deal with these feelings and face them head-on is the first step toward a healthy relationship with failure.

Why can failing be a good thing?

Any time you fail at something, whether it’s a long-term goal or a small project, the first thing you should do is take a step back and detach from the situation. Work backward by tracing the thinking and beliefs you had at the time the mistake was made, and look to see where you made a misstep. Ask why you made the decisions you did and what you can do differently next time.

Once you have worked out the reasons behind a failure, you can put together a plan of action to move forward positively and get the results you want while avoiding making the same mistakes again.

The LSE Alumni Turning Their University Into A Startup Powerhouse

Furthermore, realize that failure is not a reflection of who you are; it’s merely the outcome of a situation. You could have had a misplaced belief or incorrect information that led you to make the decisions you did. It happens to the best of us, and it has happened many times over the course of my career.

In fact, my company, which provides HR and health and safety support to businesses, was built out of failure. After losing an employment tribunal case in another business we owned, we realized there was a huge opportunity in our current market. If we hadn’t lost that case, we never would have known just how hard it is for small and medium enterprises to access affordable and reliable legal advice. We took this lesson and ran with it; we grew from an idea to a few people in a room to the company we are today.

But even once we’d started the company, for the first three years, we had very little success. Why? Because while we had a solid idea and product, we didn’t know how to market and sell it. Again, we learned from our mistakes and started selling our products on a subscription model, 30 years before subscription businesses became the way forward. We now have a thriving global business because we turned a problem into an opportunity.

Once you see the lesson to be learned in every failure, you must put your best foot forward, get up and try again.

Of course, this can be nerve-wracking at first. But don’t let fear of failure prevent you from pursuing your dreams. This will only result in negative, self-fulfilling thoughts and future failure. As a leader, it’s up to you to create a culture that accepts failure and encourages employees to embrace and learn from it.

There are several ways to do this.

1. Be transparent about your own mistakes. The most important way to create a culture that embraces failure is to be open about your own failures and share your past experiences. Every single person who works at my company knows our story; it’s part of the brand identity. Don’t be afraid to show your employees that you have failed just like them. This is not a sign of weakness. Rather, this is a sign of strength, and it proves to yourself and others just how much you can go on to achieve.

2. Remember that change won’t happen overnight. Be patient, and keep trying. As Wayne Gretsky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Be persistent. Constantly work at it and refine the way you do things. It’s all a learning process.

3. Consider corporate training and learning opportunities. Perhaps you could hold workshops where you can discuss why something didn’t work, delve into the reasons behind the failure and explore the negative feelings that often go hand in hand with failing. Focus on ways to handle failures, what lessons can be learned, and how people can move on in order to grow professionally.

4. Encourage creativity, and support your employees when things go wrong. The aforementioned workshops should also be about sending the message that you encourage innovation and experimentation in the workplace. Many people are afraid to try new things due to fear of failure. But an entrepreneurial spirit is one that should be encouraged, even though not every idea will be a success. That’s OK. It’s life. You don’t know if something will succeed until you give it a go. If it doesn’t, then it’s a learning experience for everyone involved, which can only be a good thing.

The best leaders know this and are not afraid to support their team, which, in turn, can give them the confidence to keep trying new things, bring ideas to the table and always strive to do their best.

<a href="https://councils.forbes.com/forbesbusinesscouncil?utm_source=forbes.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=forbes-links&utm_content=in-article-ad-links">Forbes Business Council </a>is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. <a href="https://councils.forbes.com/qualify?utm_source=forbes.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=forbes-links&utm_term=fbc&utm_content=in-article-ad-links">Do I qualify? </a>

Bite-sized knowledge
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your career

Why Everyone Must Learn To Deal With Failure In The Workplace

Why can failing be a good thing?

There are several ways to do this.

IDEAS ABOUT

MORE LIKE THIS

How to Deal With the Fear of Failure

Why You Have the Fear of Failure (And How to Overcome It)

Why Failure Is Essential To Success

It's time to

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Bite-sized knowledgeto upgradeyour career

Why Everyone Must Learn To Deal With Failure In The Workplace

Why can failing be a good thing?

There are several ways to do this.

IDEAS ABOUT

MORE LIKE THIS

How to Deal With the Fear of Failure

Why You Have the Fear of Failure (And How to Overcome It)

Why Failure Is Essential To Success

It's time to

READ

LIKE

A PRO!

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career