Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner is one of the few politicians I actually like, probably because he is a good public speaker and someone who can talk intelligently about leadership. So, I went to hear him speak on behalf of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (Geez! all these institutes!).
The gist of his message was that failure is not only okay, it usually paves the path to success. He told stories of his failures in two different business ventures before succeeding as the co-founder of Nextel. He remind us that he lost his first U.S. Senate bid before becoming
I have been both a student and a teacher of leadership for a number of years. I chair the Leadership Development Council for the Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce. I serve as adjunct faculty for the Center for Community Leadership in
When I reflect on my career as a leader (good or bad), I try to focus on my successes. But listening to Gov. Warner got me thinking again about my failures:
- Like the time I ran my first printing shop, but had no clue about the difference between leadership and management. I failed to impress the owners, and got “laid off.”
- Or the time I blew off an important appointment as an advertising rep for a small-town newspaper, and lost an account we had been trying to snag for years. I was “downsized.” Organization, follow-through, responsibility … damn those details!
- Then there was the time I was “let go” for making too many typos as a typographer for a college printing firm. That’s when I learned about having others review your work and tell you what you don’t want to hear, so that the wrong people don’t tell you with greater repercussions!
I can’t say I am any big success like Mark Warner, but I feel successful. I enjoy what I do, and feel rewarded for it. I am not sure what that has to do with life in
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