Comments on: Failure Is Nothing Personal

By: Carnival of HR Mardi Gras Edition

Carnival of HR Mardi Gras Edition — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:06:11 +0000

[...] sure the HR Bartender has a fabulous recipe for Hurricanes but more importantly, Sharlyn Lauby in Failure is Nothing Personal explains that it might be your methods that are [...]

By: hr bartender

hr bartender — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:09:55 +0000

Thanks for commenting Jay. I like your point about a career being a journey, not a destination. I’ve always felt if you learned something, then the experience never really was a “failure.” As you mentioned, in order to see the positives, sometimes you have to remove your emotions from the situation.

By: Jay D'Aprile

Jay D'Aprile — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:33:05 +0000

Sharylyn,

It is truly difficult to implement your suggestion to “Impersonalize failure” but people have to realize that their career is a journey and not a destination. I make sure to take the time every week to speak with unemployed executives who reach out to me and I believe that not taking it (it being fired or RIFFED) personally is a realization that takes some people a long time to understand. However with the passage of time and the ability to take a step back I believe that “failure” really is just the opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Everything happens for a reason even though when it happens sometimes it makes no sense..To everyone who is looking just hang in there!

By: hr bartender

hr bartender — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:02:13 +0000

@Marsha – I like the way you phrased it. “Impersonalize failure.” Thanks for sharing!

@TheHRD – Thanks for adding to the conversation. It’s a good point – setting the right targets is key. I’ve seen (and I’m sure you have too) many times where a situation doesn’t turn out as planned. Not because it wasn’t executed properly, but because the right goal wasn’t in place.

By: TheHRD

TheHRD — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:56:47 +0000

I don’t disagree with a word you have written. I wonder sometimes how much of this comes from setting the wrong targets as well. I was speaking to the coach of a hugely successful Olympic team the other day. He was talking about the way that he had changed the mentality of the team (they are the most successful in their sport) from aiming to winning gold medals to aiming to put in their best peformance. The medals were not the target, but the result of achieving the target.

By: Marsha Keeffer

Marsha Keeffer — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:13:42 +0000

It would benefit all of us to impersonalize failure – it happens every day to lots of people and it doesn’t mean a damn thing other than as a warning to try something else.

By: hr bartender

hr bartender — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:02:21 +0000

Thanks for sharing and congrats on your new opportunities. You’re point is spot on – focus on what you can do and things will fall into place.