Never Waste a Failing.

Credit: Bill Gillespie

A number of years ago I got fired. I’ve actually been given the boot three times in my career. The incident I’m referring to here was the first. I never thought it could happen to me.

It was the first working day of a new year. I had just started my day when the office secretary called. She asked that I meet our business owner at the company attorney’s office at 10:00. I agreed and pointed my car toward town.

I was so naïve. I had no clue why the boss wanted to see me. I knew we were struggling. It could be anything. I wondered if he might be going to make me President. I had been spouting ideas in the hall. Perhaps something stuck.

Boy was I wrong. I was fired on the spot. There was no severance and no conversation. I was out!

I remember walking out onto the street in downtown Atlanta. It was cold. I leaned up against a building and wondered, “what am I going to do now. I’ve got a wife and two small kids at home.”

I’ll skip a bunch of firing day drama and fast forward to next steps. I took the first job I could find. It was a “panic mistake” and only lasted three months.

I did the same thing again. This one lasted a little longer, but it was also a mistake. Fear was making me reckless. Every time I started over, I traded down. Each move cost me money, clients and credibility.

My phone rang. It was a longtime mentor. He let me download for a few minutes and then he said, “Billy, Never Waste a Failing.” He went on to say, “get in touch with how you failed. What got you fired? How could you have prevented it? How will you be a better employee next time? What have you learned?”

Then, he reminded me of my success. He asked me if I had forgotten what works. He admonished me to dump the panic and get about the work of rebuilding. He insisted that I remember who I was.

It wasn’t pleasant but it was simple. I had done plenty to earn the axe. Identifying areas for improvement was sobering. It was a long and painful look in the mirror. I promised myself that my next employer would enjoy a different leader.

I took what turned out to be a dream assignment a few months later. I kept the promises I made to myself and my mentor. I put the team first in every situation. I decided that nothing could be good for me unless it was good for the company. I poured myself into sales rep development and recruiting.

I made myself personally available to every rep for any kind of guidance. My focus was on them, their obstacles, goals and frustrations. I was committed to their individual growth.

The new assignment was successful. We doubled the size of the company in five years. We sold to a consolidator and the owners retired happy. It was a victory for everyone.

Never Waste a Failing. What can you learn from it? What can you do better? How can/will you improve what you do?

I didn’t learn anything the day I got fired. My two “panic mistake” positions weren’t successful either. Success showed up when I learned something. When my behavior changed, so did my results.

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