Failure Is the Foundation of Success
The change is upon us. It’s slow. It’s gradual. But it’s happening.
In March we launched a podcast series called The Great Resignation Uncensored. We published eight episodes of individuals who chose out of the traditional work environment. Those eight individuals represent a cross section of the working world. From a tenured professor to an electrician, a sales pro, an HR professional, a biologist, a journalist, a researcher, and a corporate recruiter. The point of the series was to paint a picture of changing culture through the telling of individual stories. The purpose is to illustrate that in the midst of tumultuous times there is much positive change taking place right under our feet.
Our very first guest, who went by the name of Roshawn, shared a story of years of prejudice throughout her career, and the final straw that pushed her over the edge was a case of egregious ethics. Rather than associating herself and her reputation with the decisions of her leadership she quit. That was October 2021.
Then on May 8 I received a message from her, sharing the story of how she had received a new position with a non-profit, that for all intents is like a dream job for her. The crux of the story is not that she returned to the workforce, but how she did it. I’ll let her words do the telling.
One day I received a notice from LinkedIn giving me a couple of job suggestions to apply for based on my profile. I had stopped applying for weeks, feeling tired of the same old same old.
It was a simple account executive job for a nonprofit. Since it’s a small organization the position reported to the executive director. The salary was pretty low, with a low commission percentage. I visited the website and was very intrigued by the organization and impressed by the qualifications of the executive director. I went ahead and did an easy apply.
Next day the executive director sent a message through LinkedIn asking me to email my resume with cover letter explaining what makes me “really” a good fit for them. The word “really” was a huge slap in my face. By the way, this was the day after the Oscars! I thought “wow this is a big slap in my face, but the good kind of slap LOL.” The word “really” got me thinking hard, and I wanted to avoid the clichés and the right things to say, like matching my skills with their requirements. I felt like a woman who had been on a dating site and was sick and tired of dating people in a superficial way.
I took the raw approach and decided to tell my truth and the hell with them if they couldn’t take it. It would be their loss if they can’t handle who I am. Instead of listing my success stories as the reason why I’m a good fit, I went ahead and listed my failures. It was my failures in life that made me a “really” good fit for them: failure to work for causes that were close to my heart; failure to take jobs that even though were a good fit for my life purpose, I felt the salary and position were beneath me; failure to realize my life is shorter than I think, and if this was the last job I took was it right for me regardless of money and status; failure to be who I really am and let others treat me like a second-class citizen; failure to recognize my soul; and the list goes on.
It turned out they chose me over other candidates and the offer letter made my husband tear up. He said in the thirty years we’ve been together he felt this was the only company that knows what they are getting, appreciate me for who I am, what I can do for them, see my worth, and openly talk about it as if it’s their honor to have me on their team.
They were also willing to wait six weeks for me to start when I am ready. They gave me the highest in their salary range, added to the commission rate, and the benefit package is the best I’ve ever had. They pay 100% of insurance and start me out with three weeks of vacation, adding a week every year.
Literally it’s like coming out of a bunch of abusive relationships, and all of a sudden when I got real, I got a job offer that is meaningful and purposeful.
“All of a sudden when I got real.”
That’s it isn’t it? When we get real. When we show up and be our authentic selves. It most likely means we will no longer fit into the “traditional” workforce because instead of talking about how great we are, we can acknowledge and embrace our failures. As a recovering perfectionist this is a powerful message for me to hear.
I once worked in an environment where even the most minor mistakes could be used against me, and in turn I was hard on those who worked for me when they made mistakes. It made for a stressful work environment. It also stifled innovation by encouraging conformity over creativity.
Roshawn said “The hell with them if they couldn’t take it. It would be their loss if they can’t handle who I am.” But instead, they saw her truth, her authenticity, her realness. They saw something deeper than just another corporate sales pro. And they definitely saw beyond her ethnicity.
Showing up and being real leads us to those emerging (and growing in number) companies that celebrate people for who they are, not how well they conform.
The change is upon us. It’s slow. It’s gradual. But it’s happening.
Before hitting the publish button I sent Roshawn a quick email asking for an update on how her new job is going. She responded, “I’m working with a team of very smart people, and highly progressive. I literally can be me and don’t need to hide my politics and I’m not trying to fit in. I’ve never had this experience before.” Her sales have been “phenomenal already and effortless. It’s for a great cause.”
Let’s celebrate Roshawn for her courage to be real. To hear her interview click here.
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