Deal With Failure and Sometimes Even Encourage It

Unless you're skydiving, tightrope walking, or trying to land a space shuttle, failure is an option. In fact, the most successful people usually are the ones who have failed the most. Unafraid to take risks, they stumble frequently, but in doing so they learn valuable lessons and improve themselves.

Leaders should de-stigmatize failure by setting the expectations that, from time to time, people will mess up. Instead of insisting on perfection, seasoned leaders desire progress. They concern themselves with effort rather than focusing only on outcomes. To this end, they don't punish failure; they welcome it as a natural part of life and a necessary step in the process of maturing as a leader.

 Some people are their own worst critics. After making a mistake, they have trouble recovering and moving on. Leaders come alongside their teammates to help them interpret failure. Instead of equating an error with disaster, leaders point to the slip-up as a means of discovery. They frame failure as a learning opportunity and use it to instruct and guide team members.

—Adapted from John Maxwell & giantimpact.com

The Maxwell Daily Reader: 365 Days of Insight to Develop the Leader Within You and Influence Those Around You