After You Fail: A Leader's 5 Step Plan to Fail Forward Sample

Talk to God and Your Mentors

An executive I mentor told me over coffee about how she called out the CEO at an all-hands meeting. He had announced the launch of a company-wide project that his leadership team had argued strongly against because of the strain on resources. Her boss talked enthusiastically about the project, emphasizing the benefits and minimizing the work required. The executive saw the expressions on her team’s faces and when it was time for questions, she asked her boss, “What do you plan to do about the workload?”

With a red face, he told her that dealing with workload wasn’t his job; it was hers, and then he ended the meeting. For a brief minute, she felt vindicated, but when employees and other leaders thanked her for speaking up, their praise couldn’t shake a godly conviction she was feeling.

I asked her if she’d prayed about what had happened, and she said she was avoiding prayer because she felt guilty. When I asked why she thought she felt guilty, she said, “I don’t know because all I did was defend my team. The employees needed me to speak up, so I did. Everyone said I did the right thing, and my boss needs to be held accountable for his decisions.”

I told her to pray about it and call me in a few days to touch base. When she called, she said after every statement she made to defend her behavior, God asked her the same question, “What was your motive?” I remembered her using the word vindicated and asked her if she thought there was a connection.

After a few minutes, she said her motive was to shame her boss and prove herself right. She was angry that the CEO hadn’t listened to the leadership team and that the executives found out about his decision at the same time as the rest of the company. Her anger had gotten the best of her, and the next day, she apologized to her boss.

In our focus verses today, we see Jonah running from God and trying to hide from him below deck. The sailors prayed to their gods, but Jonah went to sleep. Like us, his disobedience led to avoidance. Only after he’s swallowed by the “great fish” does Jonah pray, and God delivers him.

Talking through your missteps with trusted mentors and God can help you untangle what happened without feeling defeated. These conversations can help you learn, change, and move forward.