I'm a failure

I just found this draft article that I started to write around this time last year! (and what a difference a year makes!)

This time last year I had an awesome opportunity at work. As part of our leadership challenge I came up with a brand new initiative from scratch, then was allowed to run with it, working out some of the detail to present to the CEO and other members of the Exec team! It was a lot of fun and I even got through a couple of rounds in the challenge so was fortunate to present to the board a couple of times in as many months.

But it didn't go further than that. I didn't get through to the final round and my idea is still just a concept. I put a lot of my focus and energy into it as I believed in the idea (and still do), so having been told that my idea wasn't good enough was hard. But after contemplation on the train ride home (this was pre COVID) I contemplated what had just happened, putting it into context, realising the opportunity and awesome experience I just had... and I wrote a few words...

This week I failed.

I've spent a lot of my time and focus over the last month on a business idea that I truly believe in; giving up my down time and my evenings, sacrificing moments with my partner and children.

I developed an idea into a concept, along with my colleague, which became a viable business case. This culminated in a presentation of our business case to the CEO and the Exec team! But my idea isn't being taken forward. All of my time, effort and emotions that I have put into the project had been pointless.

Of course I don't really think that (at least not after some contemplation). So here's my first point...

If you never try you will never fail

I had a go. I took an opportunity and I ran with it. But as humans we are afraid of failure, so we tend to follow the Homer Simpson school of logic:

“Kids, you tried your best, and you failed miserably. The lesson is: never try.”

I'm still afraid of failure, but that's not bad thing; this instinct drives us to succeed. But we can not let it stop us from even trying.

So I find myself picking up where I left off last year and adding some words having just experienced the craziest few months of my working life. And I think the point about not being afraid to fail is even more poignant.

Throwing a worldwide pandemic into your working day changes a few things, it creates a constant list of challenges that are ever changing and everything is new! We have never managed through a pandemic before, our people had ever worked through one, so this was going to take a lot of innovative thinking and the ability to change.

Failure isn't really failing - it's learning

The old adage is to fail fast; this way we try new ideas quickly, if they work we grow them if they fail we move on, change and adapt or scrap it. Which has proven to be a great way to work through the challenges that this year has brought. Both within my area and across the business we have seen some amazing work being done, using our circumstance as a gift to understand and adapt to, giving benefit and value for everyone.

In order to innovate, change and force progress (from a local business or worldwide point of view) we have to be prepared to fail.

I've tried a lot of things to improve myself and the team these last few months, some have worked, some have failed, and it's really paying off. I'm proud to be a failure