Failure is a normal and often necessary part of the path to success. This also applies to career development. Career setbacks can take many forms, such as losing a job, failing in a recruitment process or receiving negative feedback from top management. Whatever negative event you face in your career, here is how to turn that failure into a new opportunity and transform it into something positive.
Don't be consumed by emotions
After a setback it is natural to be overwhelmed by emotions. Anger, despair or confusion are, according to Forbes, a natural reaction that you must accept as fact, yet not allow these feelings entirely to consume you.
Conduct an honest self-reflection
Examine your failure as objectively as possible. Analyse what happened, apply healthy self-criticism, and determine what you didn't do well or ideally.
Learn from the failure and and take future concrete steps accordingly
Based on your objective analysis, decide what you will do differently next time. The more specific your plan for similar future situations, the better.
Seek feedback from others
People involved in the failure can be an invaluable source of information. These may be colleagues who worked with you on the unsuccessful project, management that criticised your leadership, or a recruiter who led the selection process in which you were unsuccessful. Actively seek feedback from these individuals and use it to analyse your failure.
Remember that one setback doesn't mean all is hopeless
As stated earlier, partial failure is a natural part of the journey towards success. Remember this and don't allow a single setback to make you lose all hope.
Focus on what you did well
There is something positive to be found in everything, even in failure. Identify what you did right in the entire situation and focus even more on your strengths in the future.
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