“The difference between average people and achieving people is
their perception of and response to failure.” (p. 2)

John Maxwell shares numerous stories of successful people, but more importantly, the failures and setbacks each of them had to overcome first. This isn’t a new book, but it seems worth visiting now since so many participants in leadership courses are mentioning failure when composing their Personal Leadership Philosophy (PLP). Recall from our Academy Leadership Leader’s Compass workshop there are eight elements of a Personal Leadership Philosophy:

• What Does Leadership Mean to Me
• Personal Values
• Operating Principles
• Expectations
• Non-negotiables
• Priorities
• Personal Idiosyncrasies
• Commitment

This review selects stories (lessons) from each of the four sections of Failing Forward as examples for inclusion into one or more elements of a PLP, demonstrating how a leader may authentically communicate both positive perceptions and responses to failure.

Redefine Failure and Success

Maxwell offers several terrific sports analogies. He first mentions Tony Gwynn making the 5,113th out of his career 6 August 1999 (p. 11), then also mentions Gwinn achieved his 3,000th hit, cementing his future Hall of Fame entry. On opening day 1954 the Milwaukee Braves and Cincinnati Reds played each other (p. 29). Rookie Hank Aaron went 0 for 5 while Reds rookie Jim Greengrass hit four doubles. Who do we remember today as the legendary hitter?

Gwynn’s story suggests leaders should prioritize what actually matters while Aaron’s may inform a leader expectation for sustained performance over time.

On page 40, Maxwell highlights (with credit to Tom Peters) negative side effects resulting from fear of failure:

• Self-Pity
• Excuses
• Misused energy
• Hopelessness

Any of these are excellent non-negotiables or negative idiosyncrasies worthy of PLP inclusion.

Change Your Mind

Maxwell declares contentment comes from having a positive attitude (p. 67). It means:

• expecting the best in everything – not the worst.
• remaining upbeat – even when you get beat up.
• seeing solutions in every problem – not problems in every solution.
• believing in yourself – even when others believe you have failed.
• holding on to hope – even when others say it’s hopeless.

These are fantastic statements which may form our operating principles as well as answering what does leadership mean to me.

Maxwell has observed that our past leads to either breakthrough or breakdown (p. 78) and that the following five characteristics are signs that people haven’t gotten over their past difficulties:

1. Comparison
2. Rationalization
3. Isolation
4. Regret
5. Bitterness

These are excellent non-negotiable candidates or items to minimize via our operating principles or idiosyncrasies.

Maxwell fundamentally defines REAL success in part by turning your focus from yourself and adding value to others. You can do this by (p. 106):

1. Putting Others First in Your Thinking
2. Finding Out What Others Need
3. Meeting That Need with Excellence and Generosity

Imagine a leadership philosophy targeting a service business. These are outstanding examples of personal values, operating principles, and expectations.

Embrace Failure As a Friend

Maxwell compares two contrasting points of view (pp. 127-128).

Motto of Don’t-Dare-Try-It People

I would rather try nothing great and succeed
than try something great and risk failure.

Motto of Don’t-Dare-Miss-It People

I would rather try something great and fail
than try nothing great and succeed.

A terrific, inspirational statement to start or finish a leadership philosophy.

Maxwell recommends learning from your failures and mistakes (pp. 141-145) by asking the following questions every time you face adversity:

1. What Caused the Failure: the Situation, Someone Else, or Self?
2. Was what happened Truly a Failure, or Did I Just Fall Short?
3. What Successes Are Contained in the Failure?
4. What Can I Learn from What Happened?
5. Am I Grateful for the Experience?
6. How Can I Turn This into a Success?
7. Who Can Help Me with This Issue?
8. Where Do I Go from Here?

If we replace the above instances of ‘I’ with ‘We,’ Maxwell’s approach is much like an After Action Review (AAR), or a commitment to feedback creating continuous improvement.

Increase Your Odds for Success

Maxwell shares a terrific Top Ten Ways People Get In Their Own Way (pp. 154-164):

1. Poor People Skills
2. A Negative Attitude
3. A Bad Fit
4. Lack of Focus
5. A Weak Commitment
6. An Unwillingness to Change
7. A Shortcut Mind-Set
8. Relying on Talent Alone
9. A Response to Poor Information
10. No Goals

Consider the opposites for each of these ten, then including any of them as what leadership means to me, operating principles, or expectations. Or keep the original forms as non-negotiables.

Summary

It’s all about attitude in the end.

“Your attitude toward failure determines your altitude after failure.” (p. 140)

JE | July 2024