My alma mater TCU got crushed in the CFB National Championship game. It was disappointing to watch our team get dismantled by a very good Georgia team. Georgia would have won the Super Bowl that night! As much as I was proud of the team and our accomplishments, I was struck by what TCU Head Coach Sonny Dykes said after the game.
The reporter asked about the defeat and Sonny said “It starts with me. I will reflect on my performance as head coach, what I did and what I did not do so well, learn from it, and make the necessary adjustments. It starts with me, and I will ask each of my coaching staff to do the same.”
This is what great leaders do when facing a setback. They take time to look in the mirror and ask themselves “How did I do?” They also get candid feedback from others about their performance.
When facing challenges, setbacks, or failures the wise leader picks themselves up, pauses and reflects, gets feedback from colleagues, learns from their mistakes, and makes the necessary adjustments to get better. This takes courage, vulnerability, and a mindset of learning.
What do you do after a failure or setback? I encourage you to lean in like Sonny and his staff are doing.
Lead Well.