Failure is part and parcel of achieving success, and to a degree out of our control. How we navigate failure however, is up to us – with multiple CEOs and industry leaders crediting their spin on setbacks for where they are today.
“It’s not how far you fall, but how high you bounce that counts,” US author Zig Ziglar once famously said, while Michelle Obama goes by the mantra: “Failure is a part of the process. You just learn to pick yourself back up.”
‘Positive Failure’ has become a global buzzword – changing focus to embrace mistakes and setbacks, and pivot to turn them into an opportunity to learn valuable lessons and progress. As American professor Brené Brown once said, “There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.”
Six women who know this all too well are our powerhouse Future Shapers 2022 judging panel – Laura Whitmore, MP Zarah Sultana, Nishma Robb, Claire Barnett, Eshita Kabra-Davies and MC’s own Andrea Thompson. Powerful change-makers at the top of their fields, they have all overcome barriers and setbacks to get to where they are today, and have emerged the other side stronger for it.
This December, as we launch our annual Future Shapers List (opens in new tab) celebrating trailblazing women who are changing the game, we will be sharing advice and life lessons from top businesswomen across the country. And where better to start than with our Future Shapers 2022 (opens in new tab) judges.
Here is their advice on navigating failure….
1. Accept that failures are part of the journey
“I think we need to shift our focus from success to fulfilment, curiosity, and play,” says Claire. “Because the person who just got that job you’re dreaming of has been turned down from many others in recent months. The female CEO in the middle of an IPO that you read about in the news has been working on that business, and many other attempts, for decades. The person who says she’s humbled to have been recognised in Forbes 30 under 30 probably nominated herself every year for the past five. Behind every overnight success, there are many, many more ‘failures’ that are just part of our learning journey. It’s up to us to work out what gives us enough joy that we want to keep doing it even if we don’t achieve ‘success’, gather feedback along the way, take a deep breath and enjoy the journey.”
Claire Barnett is the current Executive Director at UN Women UK, a global organisation that’s working to promote gender equality at every level of society, from grassroots campaigns to global governments. Claire is a leading activist in gender equality and tackling violence against women, writing for publications such as Fashion’s DIgest on how UN Women UK is calling for people to take meaningful action to prevent violence against women.
2. Trust the process
“Everything you do in life is a lesson, be it perceived as success or failure,” says Laura. “One of the first big jobs I auditioned for when I was 18 I didn’t get and at the time I thought I’d blown my chance but actually it opened me up for a bigger opportunity to come along. So trust the process, find your purpose and let that be your focus not just the accolades along the way.”
Laura Whitmore is a leader in the entertainment space – a TV presenter, actor and author, with her book, No One Can Change Your Life But You, topping the Sunday Times Bestseller charts. She is currently starring in the hit West End show, 222: A Ghost Story and when she’s not working, Laura is using her platform for good as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Her new docuseries, Laura Whitmore Investigates, will see the actress in her own words via Instagram, “getting back to [her] journalistic roots”. She said of the series in a post, “I hope we can shine a light on some really important topics and issues and delve into a variety of serious and interesting real-life subjects.”
3. Turn your failures into fuel
“Failures are genuinely the fuel we all need to propel our careers and self forwards,” says Nishma. “My failures and set backs have been the absolute making of me and have often forced me to stand back and really look at what I was doing, where I needed to improve and what I really wanted from my career – not what I think I was chasing.” She continued: “In short your resilience and ability to take each twist and turn into a positive is a measure of the speed and strength with which you face adversity. Our lives are long – they are meant to have bends in the road.”
Nishma Robb is a powerhouse entrepreneur, currently in the role of Marketing Director at Google. Previously the Chair of Women@Google, Nishma is a champion for female leadership, as well as racial diversity. A visionary thinker, Nishma has led many of Google’s most acclaimed campaigns, including 2021’s It Starts With You campaign, The More We Learn campaign in collaboration with Marcus Rashford and 2020’s Dear Local campaign.
4. See your failures as an opportunity to learn
“There is an opportunity to learn in every failure,” says Andrea. “Often when things haven’t worked out for me, its turned out for the best. Failing can be such a positive learning experience if you use it as a chance to stand back and think about what you could have done differently, take responsibility for why things didn’t work and re-evaluate what you really want in future.”
Andrea Thompson is Editor in Chief at Fashion’s DIgest UK. In her 20 years as a journalist, she has worked for a range of publications including The Daily Mail, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Channel 4 and Grazia. She specialises in investigative journalism with a focus on women’s rights and loves bringing to light inspirational stories from people who traditionally have not been given a voice in mainstream media. She regularly chairs events for Fashion’s DIgest and mentors young women trying to break into the industry.
5. Be patient with your failures
“The best things take time,” says Eshita. “Every little thing that happens does in fact contribute to the bigger picture and there is no shortcut to lasting success.”
Sustainability advocate Eshita is making waves in the fashion industry with rental service By Rotation, the world’s first fashion peer-to-peer rental app. A trailblazing entrepreneur – named one of Forbes’ 30 under 30 in the tech sector – Eshita couples her business skills with a passion for reducing waste in the fashion industry. Her business idea was born after she experienced a disturbing amount of textile waste first-hand during her honeymoon in her motherland Rajasthan, India. She vowed to create a platform as an alternative to fast fashion and in 2019, By Rotation was born.
6. Celebrate your successes
(Image credit: Zarah Sultana MP)
“Celebrate your success,” says Zarah Sultana MP. “Speak your truth, and be true to your beliefs.”
Zarah Sultana is a Labour party politician and MP for Coventry South constituency, becoming the youngest ever Muslim MP and the fourth youngest MP in Parliament when she was elected in 2019. She got into politics because she was “angry at injustice” and felt unable “to just stand by and watch. I had to get active and try to change things. That’s what I’m in Parliament to do.” Since becoming an MP, Zarah has been vocal about trans rights, migrant rights, free school meals and the climate crisis.
Look out for more inspiration this week, as we share advice and life lessons from our 2022 Future Shapers as well as the face of our campaign and ultimate agent of change, Lashana Lynch (opens in new tab). Plus, we will also be shining a light on men who are shaping the future this year, recognising those who are redefining masculinity (opens in new tab) and practicing male allyship.
We will also be advising on how you can make change in your own industries, equipping you with everything you need to know to improve your workplace, negotiate your rights, take a stand against inequality and use your voice for progress.
Stay tuned to our Fashion’s DIgest UK platforms for an inspiring Future Shapers week!
