I have failed in some truly spectacular fashion over the years. There was the time I lost it over the company P.A. system – with the mic ON. There was time I failed spectacularly to build and then failed to repair and then failed to recover an important relationship with an employee, resulting in her departure. Then there was the time – okay, the YEARS – that I was complicit in a “work hard / play hard” company culture that did lots for the egos of those in power and little for the people who weren’t in the “in” crowd. And there was the time that I faced so much personal hardship and allowed myself such little self-care that I shut down entirely in full blown burnout.
And yet, I am grateful for these experiences. I am grateful to my family and my dear friends. Of course I failed (at first) to allow them to help. But over time, as I learned how I wanted to lead my life, I better understood the value of support and compassion and I succeeded in accepting it.
Leading is hard. Whether it’s an organization or a life – it takes purpose and inspiration and courage and help. If you do it right it’s both exhilarating and terrifying. It’s joyous and painful. If you do it right, it feels good deep in your bones.
I’m grateful for the failures. They are where I learned the most about what I love.
Be uncommon.
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