A failure in leadership can have repercussions for years. It doesn’t mean you can’t overcome the failure and bounce back stronger. Whether you failed as a line leader or took over from a failed leader, there are ways to fix it. Failure happens – it’s part of life – and you have to accept it as fact. Remember, it’s how you recover from a failure that defines your skills as a leader.
So, how can you overcome failed leadership? Read more here.
Find Out What Went Wrong
Did you push your colleagues too far? Was the idea right but the method of execution wrong? It’s necessary to find out what happened so you can put it right (and avoid a repeat performance). Whether you were directly or indirectly responsible, you must know the problem to be able to fix it. Remember, a failed leadership can survive, even when all seems lost. It is, however, only possible to do when you know what went wrong.
Take Responsibility for the Failure
You will always be a failure if you put the responsibility onto someone else. Good leadership is about being the person to stand up and say, ‘It’s my fault’. Let’s say you worked in advertising. You were tasked to create an ad campaign but it failed to take off and the company shelved the product.
It’s a failure on an epic scale but one that isn’t entirely without blame. While you weren’t the only person working on the campaign, you were the team leader. So, you should be the one to show leadership and take responsibility. It makes you the bigger person and people respect you for it too.
Take Time to Reflect and Plan
Sometimes, you need time to come to terms with the failure and take a breath. Reflecting on what you did and what could have been done can be important as you learn from them. Next time, you will know how better to approach a problem and find viable solutions to fix them. A leadership failure doesn’t spell the end of your career, not if you can come back stronger and admit your mistakes.
Try a New Approach and Stay Focused
Failure comes and goes in life. It means your way wasn’t right or good enough but walking away shouldn’t be your first instinct. You need to stand up, take charge and try a newer and better approach. Stay focused on the target and use your failures to forge success. It not only shows good leadership but turns around a failed one.
Failed Leadership Is Not the End of the World
Everyone fails at least once in their lifetime. You can’t, however, let it damage your career. Yes, your boss might not be impressed by your failures but you learn from them. Show your boss you are taking responsibility for the failure because you will win back their trust. It’s a difficult road but failure doesn’t mean the end.
You have to adapt and learn from it so you can come back stronger than ever. It’s the right way for you to become a better leader. You can turn failed leadership into a success.