Summary

The saying goes: 'Failure is the mother of all success’. The military is very much a culture built on success so to avoid failure. But this cultural trait may be stemming our potential. According to Associate Prof. Dashun Wang, the difference between success and failure is often very close. Wang argues that, over time, failing provides a library of tried and tested experiences you can call upon and apply in different ways. The second thing failing gives you is some feedback about what you did, and did not, do well. According to Wang, one surprising finding is that people who experience early failures may become more accomplished than counterparts who achieve early successes. Instead of punishing a subordinate for failing at a genuine attempt, another approach may be to mentor them on how to learn from that failed attempt and use it to improve subsequent attempts.