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Command-Z Is My Homeboy: Managing Failure Inside of the Enterprise
My favorite presentation I've given of all time - not sure why I never uploaded it before. Presented in January of 2014 as my last official duty as the head of Sabre Labs before I moved into my current job heading up global marketing for Sabre's hospitality business unit.
This is as honest & transparent as I've been personally about my shortcomings as a leader & the failures in life that have refined the way I operate today and how I view the world in general.
Hopefully you'll find one or two things that resonate with your own experience and become all the more willing to embrace failure... and lead your company - big or small - to relentlessly do the same.
Global Marketing Executive [CMO] | P&L Owner l B2B SaaS | Product Strategy Spokesperson | Keynote Speaker
My favorite presentation I've given of all time - not sure why I never uploaded it before. Presented in January of 2014 as my last official duty as the head of Sabre Labs before I moved into my current job heading up global marketing for Sabre's hospitality business unit.
This is as honest & transparent as I've been personally about my shortcomings as a leader & the failures in life that have refined the way I operate today and how I view the world in general.
Hopefully you'll find one or two things that resonate with your own experience and become all the more willing to embrace failure... and lead your company - big or small - to relentlessly do the same.
I’M SARAH. I RUN SABRE
LABS. AND I’M A HYBRID OF THESE TWO CHARACTERS MEEK GEEK @ HOME; DJ CHATTY THUG KATHY @ WORK +
WHAT IS SABRE LABS? Dedicated
internal emerging technology incubator & travel trends research lab at Sabre ! RESEARCH: Identify emerging tech trends with likely industry impact over next 2-5 years ! EXPERIMENT: Deliver maximum insight with minimal investment via rapid prototyping ! PARTNER: Pursue startups, universities + R&D teams to form unique innovation partnerships
• 10 MONTHS/300+ DAYS OF ISOLATION
+ RELENTLESS TORTURE • 3 TRAINERS, 50 HRS/WK, 6 MIN MILES, 100+ DEGREE HEAT • 14 MERE DAYS FOR TRYOUTS THAT ENDED IN TOTAL FAILURE TO THIS DAY IT PAINS MY EGO TO ADMIT MULKEY CUT ME, EVEN THOUGH THAT EXPERIENCE TAUGHT ME PRICELESS LESSONS. IS EGO THE ENEMY?
so, IF COMPANIES & PEOPLE
DESIRE GROWTH, HOW CAN THEY FINALLY BREAK THE CYCLE AND EMBRACE FAILURE-DRIVEN LEARNING? Me = perfection! You = dumbface who fails. RAHR!
!hat’s a fantastic questi"n!
(CODE FOR: “I have absolutely no idea just yet, but I hope to learn as I go.”) SO, WHAT HAVE I LEARNED IN MY FAILED ATTEMPTS SO FAR?
Master P~Y’ALL DON’T WANT NONE
SINCE 1994~ A TRAILBLAZER ON AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP … AND HOODY-HOO-OLOGY EVERY PLAYA IN THE SOUTH WANNA SERVE ME CAUSE I’M THE GHETTO BILL GATES BUT I’M LEGIT, YA HEARD ME?
AUTHENTICITY ISN’T INNATE. IT CAN’T
BE MANUFACTURED & IT REQUIRES ACCEPTING + EMBRACING IMPERFECTION THEORY #TWO: CAN WE GET PEOPLE TO BRAG: HOW “BIG-BONED” IS YOUR #FAILWHALE? • ENTERPRISES ARE FILLED WITH SELF-PROCLAIMED “RISK-TAKERS” • YET, ALL ARE CONDITIONED TO ACTIVELY AVOID ADMITTING FAILURE. three:
OUR ABORT MISSION FAILURE IN
2013 SHOULD HAVE SAID NO FROM DAY 1 – DIDN’T FIT OUR M.O. BUT WE WERE IN SABRE LABS-PEOPLE-PLEASING MODE. DROPPED EVERYTHING DUE TO “URGENCY” OF PROJECT THEN TIME CAME THE SIGNS. I IGNORED THEM, STUPIDLY. 30 MORE DAYS OF WASTED TIME + OPPORTUNITY COST. 100% MY FAULT AS A LEADER. SHOULD HAVE TAKEN ACTION. LESSON LEARNED. HASN’T + WON’T EVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO
PUSH YOUR TEAM TOWARD A WORTHY VISION, BUT ALSO THE HUMILITY TO LISTEN & CHANGE WHEN NEEDED. SIX:
3 EASY QUESTIONS FOR 4
TOP EXECUTIVE LEADERS 1) FIRST BIG FAILURE IN YOUR CAREER? 2) WHAT DID YOU LEARN OR IMPROVE? 3) MOST RECENT FAILURE/LEARNING? “MR. MEAN FAKE EXECUTIVE GUY” (DON’T WORRY – MY EXECS LOOK MUCH KINDER) 6 WEEKS. 3 EMAIL + 2 IN-PERSON REMINDERS. ONLY 1 REPLIED. THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK NEXT: WHY?
oversharing BUT INSTEAD I DROPPED
THE BALL. I MADE EXCUSES: “REFINE SCOPE” OR “POLITICS” OR “OTHER PRIORITIES” = SABRE LABS’ “NOBLE” AMBITION
HONESTLY? WAS MY FEAR OF
WHAT EXECS WOULD THINK. Why, yes... THAT MADE ME A CORPORATE DOUCHEBAG TOO.
WHY ARE WE SO BAD
AT DOCUMENTING FAILURE? COMPANIES TRAIN US TO THINK SUCCESS IS THE ONLY NEWS WORTH SHARING. INTERNAL “WEEKLY UPDATE” OR “PERFORMANCE REPORT” EMAILS RING A BELL?
LEADER ONE OF GREATEST THREATS
TO A TEAM OR LARGE COMPANY’S ABILITY TO EMBRACE FAILURE, LEARN & REACH FULL POTENTIAL? unspoken or unaddressed fears of their EIGHT:
MY BIGGEST ‘KNOWN’ FEARS AS
A LEADER? Losing the respect of my leader(s) and/or failing to deliver what they need or expect. Losing Art Briles to (insert ANY school). Earwigs - creepy Texas bugs that won’t die. Not being capable of performing my job at the same level once I have a family. Empty swimming pools. Just in general. Failing to give enough high-quality time, attention or guidance to my employees. Taking off. (Yes, I know I work in travel.) Lawn care equipment…specifically those tools that have spinning blades.
TRULY GREAT LEADERS MUST TAKE
HARD LOOKS IN THE MIRROR OFTEN TO ENSURE THEIR OWN FEARS + INSECURITIES ARE FULLY KNOWN. ONLY THEN ARE THEY CAPABLE OF LEADING OTHERS WITH INTEGRITY, IDENTIFYING RISKS WORTH TAKING & TURNING FAILURE INTO LEARNING. LEADERS WORTH FOLLOWING FAIL BOLDLY + SHARE FREELY. DO YOU? MY LAST FEW TIDBITS OF FAILOSOPHY
PUT ALL OF YOURSELF OUT
THERE, BIG COMPANY OR SMALL. FAILING PUBLICLY CREATES EFFICIENT, PRICELESS FEEDBACK LOOPS THAT DON’T EXIST WHEN YOUR FAILURES ARE KEPT PRIVATE.
FIND YOUR MIGHTY PURPOSE &
TEACH WITH HUMILITY & PATIENCE. EMBRACE LIFE’S TRAINWRECKS AS THEY BECOME PRICELESS WISDOM. ACT LIKE THE LEADER YOU WISHED OTHERS WOULD’VE BEEN TO YOU. AND FEARLESSLY SHARE, FREELY TAKE RISKS + PASSIONATELY LEAD. final thoughts…