The Power of Failing Forward

1. The Power of Failing Forward
Loretta Penn, President, PECC, LLC
lampenn11@gmail.com

2. Discussion Objectives
• As leaders, what makes us fail?
• Contrast success and failure
• What do we learn from failure?

3. Not All Failures Are Created Equal
The Power of Failing Forward
• Preventable failures
• Unavoidable failures
• Intelligent failures

4. The Disconnect
The Power of Failing Forward
• Leadership
– “I” becomes more important than “we”
• Authenticity
– Become or want to be someone you are not
• Ignore feedback
• Lack humility

5. Do Too Much
The Power of Failing Forward
• Only do what only you can do
– Think strategic!
• Create a “stop doing” list
– Focus on doing the right thing.
• Just because you can, should you?
– Can…why...when?

6. Integrity
The Power of Failing Forward
“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right thing.”
(Drucker)
“If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity,
nothing else matters.” (Simpson)
“Integrity is taking only one cookie when no one would know if you took
two.” (Dennis the Menace)

7. Intellectual Acuity
The Power of Failing Forward
• Constant learning
• Knowledge is not enough!!
• Lack of skills, conditions, or required training
“Vision is a clear mental picture of what could be fueled by the conviction that it should be.”
- Andy Stanley

8. Lack of Curiosity
The Power of Failing Forward
• Failure to ask why
– Clarity of purpose
• Constant questioning
– Interrogate reality with diplomacy
• Communication
– Talking in the language of the listener

9. Talent Acquisition
The Power of Failing Forward
• Attract and hire the right talent
– Know your needs.
• Cultural fit
– Know your environment.
• Training and development
– Know your gaps.

10. Shift in Focus
The Power of Failing Forward
• Doing instead of becoming
• Micromanaging
• Seeking perfection
• Primary mission

11. • To succeed YOU must first improve.
(Learn)
• To improve YOU must first practice.
(Share)
• To practice YOU must first learn.
(Review)
• To learn YOU must first fail! (Grow)

12. Thank you!