Often when a transaction doesn’t happen or an order isn’t secured, it is perceived as a failure. There are times when it is beyond the salesperson’s control, but it can be an arduous task to convince them of that.
Accepting Failure
It’s easy to experience feelings of ambivalence once you have convinced yourself that you have failed. The conventional wisdom among business leaders and coaches is that accepting failure leads to more of the same. The consequences of that mind set, however, are often accompanied by blame, innuendo and excuses.
The Healthy Atternative
There’s a difference between accepting failure and remaining calm and rational under duress. Taking ownership for your perceived failure is the healthy alternative that is difficult for many to do. Nevertheless, it is necessary for you to do so in order to reap all of the benefits that can be had from improving upon your shortcomings. Taking ownership provides you with a number of attractive consequences.
- It offers a clearer perspective on the most prudent course of action moving forward.
- It helps to instill you with the necessary confidence to successfully take that action.
- It empowers you to be your best and avoid making the same mistakes more than once.
It is counterproductive to conduct your business as if everything is out of your control or the fault of others. Taking ownership of your shortcomings and focusing on those things that you do have control over is the surest way to learn how to successfully negotiate failure.
How do you handle the disappointment of failure?
What advice would you give to others?
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It takes guts to admit you missed a step. However, the good thing is in a correction that avoids another mistake.
From a more universal approach, I think something other than one step caused the mix-up. So looking at the whole picture may be more benerficial if you started on the right step with confidence then you could change a lemon into lemonaid.