VantagePoint
Leadership After Failure Knowing how to learn from one’s mistakes is the key to a positive camp experience
By Dr. Christopher Thurber
enhanced respect for their leader. Indeed, every member of the group knows that mis- takes are human, so this admission human- izes the leader. It also sets a good example for others to follow.
C
onference workshops, camp publi- cations and staff training manuals are replete with inspirational advice on exactly how to get it right. What’s missing is guidance on how to mess everything up. More accurately, what’s missing is practical advice on how to lead after making a mistake. If you want to learn how to get it right, then keep reading mainstream publications on youth develop- ment and leadership. If you think you might make a mistake this summer and you want to prepare for recovery, then read on. I often begin a segment of staff training by asking the group, “Who thinks they’ll make a mistake this summer? Please raise your hand.” A few brave souls raise their hands, then a few more, gingerly. If I stand there for 20 seconds, eventually everyone has his or her hand in the air. How is it that a pervasive event — making mistakes — is so difficult to declare? In part, it is because leadership after a mistake is so tough, bruised pride and all. For most staff, it’s a relief to begin the season agreeing that no one is perfect; that all staff at all levels share a willingness to learn; and that camp is an environment where leaders support their colleagues’ pro- fessional development. Simply recognizing those tenets of healthy organizational cul- ture will go a long way toward you and your staff’s willingness to lead effectively after making a mistake.
What exactly is a mistake? The answer
isn’t as obvious as you may think. It may help to clarify the distinction between a poor choice and a mistake. Take the staff member who returns to camp intoxicated. If
22 Canada Camps Winter 2011
caught, he or she is likely to tell you, “I made a mistake.” Actually, what that per- son did was make a poor choice. It’s not as if that staff member didn’t know the rules or tried hard not to drink. In that case, drink- ing would truly have been a mistake. To be clear, a mistake is not knowing exactly what to do and trying something, but failing. How do leaders avoid mistakes in the first place? First, the best leaders understand their skill set and the limitations of what they can do. Great leaders take risks, of course, but they show restraint by not act- ing outside their domains of competence. The best leaders avoid mistakes by knowing when to consult, ask for help and say no. Second, the best leaders put forth great effort. By exercising, getting rest and eating healthy food, the best leaders are able to try their hardest almost all the time. This helps them maximize success. Third, the best leaders are thoughtful. By tempering impul- sive reactions and knee-jerk responses to complex situations, the best leaders avoid making poor choices too often.
Of course, even the best leaders make mistakes. What then? The answer separates the good from the bad leaders. First, for- giveness is sometimes always forthcoming, so the best leaders recover from mistakes by quickly owning them. Laying the responsi- bility elsewhere, spinning the mistake as a triumph or pretending there was actually no mistake are all defensive reactions grounded in the fear that admitting a mis- take may cause the group to lose respect for their leader. Ironically, owning mistakes — provided that such mistakes are generally uncommon — causes the group to feel
After owning their mistake, the best leaders offer a sincere apology. Delaying this expression of regret only hardens the group’s hearts. By contrast, saying, “I’m sorry that I made this mistake,” provides an opportunity to move ahead, both interper- sonally and professionally. The best leaders understand that respect is grounded in rela- tionship. Without a strong interpersonal connection between a leader and his or her group, great achievements may be consis- tently lacking. Finally, the best leaders learn. They con- sult with other leaders, listen carefully to feedback from the group and hone skills that will help achieve success in similar sce- narios. When the group sees that the leader has continued to work toward preventing the same mistake in the future, forgiveness is palatable. Without excessive self-depre- cation, great leaders can also return to the mistake, offer the group a narrative of what transpired and where the misstep was, and what’s being done to prevent a similar mis- take in the future.
Being a great leader is not a popularity contest. Success — defined as doing the right thing for the group — is not always the action that brings the group immediate pleasure. Mistakes can also be unpleasant for both the leader and the group. However, mistakes provide the sorts of leadership opportunities that separate the best from the rest. The process of owning, apologizing and learning is healthy for any group. Mistakes give leaders opportunities to show how they earned their position. Indeed, great leaders continuously work to earn the title that goes with their job. As the saying goes, “It’s not how you fall, it’s how you get up.” No mistake is a failure if you persist.
CC
Dr. Christopher Thurber is the author of The Summer Camp Handbook (
www.CampSpirit.com and the co-founder of Expert Online Training, which hosts video training modules for camp staff. He serves as school psychologist at Phillips Exeter Academy and waterfront director at Camp Belknap.
Photo: BCS Summer Language Camp
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24