A culture that encourages failure

I worked at a golf course when I was in high school. I was a very good worker, but one day I made a very significant mistake. I was driving a golf cart with a container of gasoline in the back and, unbeknownst to me, the gas tipped over and ran onto the grass across two fairways. Needless to say, it killed the grass, leaving a very distinct stripe that revealed my path. It was the biggest failure I had while working there, however, my boss handled it in a way that was extraordinarily important to my growth as a man.

He called me into his office and said that I had made a huge mistake. One so large, in fact, that he had considered letting me go. He knew I didn't do it on purpose and that I was his best worker, so he kept me on. He and I both knew full well that I would take that failure and turn it into a learning experience to become better. And I did. It had cost him money, but instead of wasting it by firing me, he invested in me.

This picture reflects the environment that is essential to the success of every organization, business and team. The environment that doesn't punish failure is extremely valuable. In my wrestling room, I encourage individuals to take risks, push themselves and, inevitably fail. I must give my athletes the comfort to know that we are engaging in a celebration of experimentation and that failure isn't an option; it's mandatory. This will inevitably lead to emotional margin and even more personal accountability and responsibility.

We live in a world that is hell-bent on punishing us for our mistakes. To be counter-cultural, instead of "giving them hell" for their failures, my objective is to "give them heaven." This changes everything.

Make room for risk and failure in the lives of others. Who they're created to be depends on it. "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." - Anais Nin. Why remain a caterpillar when you were born to be a butterfly?