Embrace Self-Wager: Cherish the Attempt, Not Solely the Result
In our modern world that yearns for innovation and boldness in leadership, it's disheartening to witness many organizations still sticking to the "play-it-safe" mentality. All too often, we applaud only the victories - reinforcing the notion that triumph equates to flawless execution rather than venturing into the unknown, learning, and propagating growth.
The book "Lead to Win" by Carla Harris, a senior advisor at Morgan Stanley, emphasizes the significance of lauding effort regardless of the outcome and the need to reward attempts, even when they don't result in success. I had the pleasure of meeting Carla at a conference dedicated to alumni of the Harvard Business School’s women on boards program. During her talk, she underscored that "people need to know that effort matters, that taking a swing is valued even if they miss"; unfortunately, this sentiment is rarely embraced.
It's no secret that humans are generally averse to failure. The irrational fear of looking incompetent and the anxiousness of being incorrect serve as significant barriers, deterring individuals, both men and women, from embracing risks. The prevalent belief that everyone else is flawlessly navigating life while we ourselves are insecurely stumbling along is a fallacy. There's no monopoly on intelligence nor a perfect guidebook to navigating the human experience.
Unshackling ourselves from our ingrained fear of failure is essential if we wish to thrive in the rapidly evolving world requiring agility and adaptability. Pioneering leaders and bewildering innovators are those who are unabashed by the uncertainty of their endeavors and honor their belief in their abilities, even if success isn't guaranteed.
Derisking the Try
As I explore in "The Courage Gap," many are apprehensive about emerging into action due to the erroneous notion that potential failure's cost greatly outweighs the risk of inaction. Longing for certainty is futile, as it seldom appears.
But how might we construct a safer atmosphere for ourselves and others to take risks?
- Celebrate thrust, not just successes: The vulnerability of failure silently thwarts experimentation. If we embrace missteps, promote innovation, and reward attempts, even imperfect ones, fear surrounding risks will dissipate. As Amy Edmondson's research on psychological safety demonstrates, the most productive teams are those that candidly discuss failures and learn from them.
- Extract lessons, discard baggage: Lead by example and demonstrate the art of "failing well" by sharing your missteps, normalizing failure as the foundation for growth, and assisting others in reframing setbacks as impetuses for change rather than insurmountable roadblocks.
- Affirm potential: Reinforce a pool of confidence by validating individual talents and skills. Leaders who subtly remind us that we're competent empowers us to take bolder action and trust our instincts.
Although attaining perfection is an admirable goal, it isn't the ultimate determiner of triumph in environments demanding innovative thinking. Perfectionism offers more hindrance than benefit - silencing progress, slowing execution, and stifling the free-flowing exchange of ideas.
Carla Harris rightly posits that "your ideal of perfectionism may not align with what your organization actually values."; if speed, adaptability, and progress are the driving forces behind success, then fostering an environment that prizes fallibility, quick failures, and learning is a wiser move than chasing fleeting perfection.
Bet on Yourself
The crux of courage lies in the audacity to seize that chance, advance audacious requests, and put in application for tasks that may not align fully with our capabilities. Courage isn't the absence of fear, but acting despite it. Should you've endeavored zealously, silence the doubtful voice that whispers you're not deserving.
You may not attain the desired outcome, but you'll at least know you gave it everything you had. And that's how assurance is cultivated - not through the search for certainty, but by advancing forward against the uncertainty.
The next time uncertainty prevents you from moving forward, ask yourself: "What if I wager on myself?"
The visionaries who influence impacts - those who revolutionize industries, transform teams, and leave indelible legacies - are the ones who dared to attempt.
They're the ones who dared to try.
Dr Margie Warrell is a renowned keynote speaker and leadership advisor who assists individuals in overcoming the gap between their aspirations and their achievements. Her latest book is "The Courage Gap: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone and into Your Brave Zone."
Additional Insights
- To promote a risk-tolerant culture:
- Leadership support
- Open communication
- Encourage innovation
- Emphasize effort and progress:
- Foster a growth mindset
- Reinforce intrinsic motivation
- Adopt a culture of continuous improvement:
- Advocate for continuous learning
- Employ iterative testing
- Recognize and reward effort:
- Recognize team achievements
- Utilize non-financial rewards
- Establish an agile organizational structure:
- Implement flexible decision-making
- Invest in research and development (R&D)
- Implementing a growth mindset in leadership can significantly contribute to psychological safety within organizations, allowing individuals to take calculated risks and learn from their mistakes, ultimately leading to growth and innovation.
- By embracing a growth mindset and rewarding attempts, even when they don't result in success, organizations can improve their adaptability, as employees feel more at ease experimenting and adapting to new challenges, leveraging their creditline and resources more effectively.
- Leaders can foster a risk-tolerant culture by reminding their team members of their intrinsic potential and abilities, instilling confidence in their abilities to adapt, learn, and thrive in the face of uncertainty, encouraging them to bet on themselves and take on new challenges.
