When you fail, you have an opportunity to learn (que groans all around as your high school soccer coach is harping on again).

There is a good degree of truth in the statement that, “failure provides us with an opportunity to learn and grow.”

When we fail it hurts us in our souls and we go red with embarrassment. If we shift our perspective on failure and ask ourselves some reflective questions we can set ourselves up for success in the future. If you want to avoid turning beetroot red (maybe this is just me…) when things go wrong, try a post match analysis using these three simple questions;

Failure is painful and embarrassing and annoyingly we cannot escape it — so we might as well learn from it.

Failure poses many risks to our team, so it is super important we learn how to create an environment that embraces failure and encourages learning opportunities.

If you are worried about the embarrassment of failure (que beetroot), you are less likely to want to give things a go or step outside your comfort zone.

It is up to everybody in our team to create a safe space for failure, learning and growth. Focus on encouraging and supporting others and help them learn from mistakes. Avoid berating or belittling others when they fail.

Sounds simple right? Observe yourself next time something goes wrong. Do you respond rationally? Or do you get swept up in the emotions of reacting?

By focusing on the positive outcomes of failure, we can empower ourselves and others to trust the process, support each other and grow and develop together. Which seems a whole lot better than the alternative option of wallowing in our comfort zones like pigs in mud too scared to venture into the unknown.

Instead of allowing past setbacks to cut you down and stop progress, leaders can harness these experiences to fuel the team’s resilience and determination.

When you try something and it goes down in a crashing burning heap of fire, use that fire to cook some lunch (I would say eggs, but thought a once were warriors reference might be a little much).

Failure should be viewed as something that happens, something that is expected — not as a catastrophe resulting in us all throwing our toys out of the cot and calling it quits.

What I am trying to say is this; it is our job as leaders to find the silver lining, refocus our teams and use failures as opportunities to drive the next phase of growth.

Focusing on growth opportunities from failure will enable you and your team to move faster towards your goals.

Try thinking of it like this. If you were running out of gas as you forgot to fill up your car yesterday and you are on the way to pick up your [son/daughter/cat/someone you love]. Would you pull over hope out of the car and lie down on the side of the road as you have failed? Or would you go to the gas station, fill up and send a quick text saying you will be 10 mins late to pick them up? Why does bombing a sales presentation or piece of work any different? Tomorrow your boss will be dealing with the next screw up and yours will be forgotten… so just take it, learn from it and move on!

Failure is a chance to be resilient, learn and grow, and a chance to get motivated to move closer towards your goals. Embrace failure and you will embrace progress.