The journey to success is never without its challenges. It takes a great deal of physical and mental effort to get where we want to be and navigate the various obstacles that stand in our way. One thing that always strikes me is how soon those challenges are forgotten. Whether we are setting up in business for the first time or embarking on new business ventures, there is never an easy way. No matter how experienced we are, there will be times when we make mistakes, do something we regret, or mess up big time. Yet few in business ever talk about these experiences. It is as if failure is a dirty word.

No one likes to talk about it because no one wants to expose how they wandered around clueless because they had no plan A or plan B. Or how they overestimated their skill set, nosedived because they misread the market, or lost huge profits because they took bad advice. Instead, people cancel out their ineffectiveness by giving the impression that they have sharp business acumen, are nigh on perfect, and fast becoming living legends. Of course, it is all in their mind’s eye, but with such swagger, it is easy to get sucked into believing that the luck everyone else seems to have has somehow passed us by. 

We can also easily talk ourselves out of something because we fear failure. If we fear failure, we set ourselves up to fail, mainly because we never begin to try. Whatever our ambitions, we are always going to be tested. There are elements of uncertainty in every situation. If we want success, we must believe we can see it through.

There are 4 things worth remembering

1. Everyone has their fair share of disappointment and misfortune

Blunders and oversights are all part and parcel of being in business. It is just that some people prefer to sweep it under the carpet and keep up the pretence rather than admit their struggles. It is easy to see why people do this. Aside from the pressure to prove themselves capable, no one wants to feel like they are washing their dirty laundry in public. The stigma associated with defeat leads us to think that if word gets out that we have made mistakes, we damage the faith people have in us and our reputation too. This is a flawed way of thinking because people value authenticity. We get greater respect when we show ourselves to be human like everyone else than we do pretending to be perfect because pretending only ever raises suspicion. 

2. The past does not define our future

We might occasionally get it wrong, but if we are still in business, we are still here to tell the tale. It is all a matter of perspective. We have not totally failed; we just happen to have been unsuccessful and subsequently managed to put things right. To straighten things out, we will have understood where we went wrong. We will have picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves down, reflected, and re-evaluated our actions. As we started again, we took advice, sought guidance, adopted a different approach, and steered ourselves on a course of action that did bring success.

3. Dealing with failure says something about the type of person we are

By having the courage to continue, we demonstrate our capacity to take it on the chin and not give up. We get to prove we have a growth mindset and are responsible and resilient enough to see our way out of a sticky situation. In all respects, we have acted with professionalism. This means we have not one but two stories worth telling. Not only did we slip up, but we also weathered the harsh conditions, turned things around, moved on, and came out the other side better and stronger. It is incredibly admirable, and if we can be proud of it, others no doubt will be too.

4. Failure is often the start of success

Each setback is a lesson through which we learn and move closer to success. Many of us would not be where we are today were it not for the wisdom and support people gave us along the way. Being open and transparent about setbacks and failures is a way of giving back to the business community that supported us. By sharing, we help colleagues and fellow business owners. We often overlook the fact that others have similar experiences and can potentially fall into the same traps as us. Through hindsight, we can guide others away from making the same mistakes. Moreover, we can reassuringly show that our misjudgements are not as ill-fated and damaging as they might initially seem. Because as we have discovered there is a professional way out of it all that allows us to proudly emerge with our dignity and reputation intact.

By offering candid insight into our shortcomings, we show ourselves to be responsible and accountable and make our honesty and transparency more visible. We all want to be the best, but our desire to prove it can see us falling into the trap of wanting to be perfect and since no one is, we risk undermining our credibility.

We often overlook that fact that our stories are a powerful narrative that can inspire others. They can change how failure is perceived and help shape a culture that values authenticity. Through this we can help bring honesty and transparency to the forefront of other people’s professional behaviour. 

This article was written by Dr Cheryl Whiting the author of Professionalism Matters: Practical Ways to Enhance Credibility and Reputation. Professionalism Matters is an all-inclusive guide gets to the heart of what it takes to be a professional and stand out as someone with integrity.

You can read more about the importance of honesty and transparency in chapter 4 of the book which is published by Tantamount Books Ltd and available to purchase on Amazon. The link here provides further details of the content and an opportunity to read small sections of the work and reader reviews https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1909929956/

© Dr Cheryl Whiting – September 2024