When leading teams, can optimism and failure co-exist? You bet. Here is why…

We have heard that learning from failure is critical. But it is hard to establish a safe environment for teams to experiment, fail, and talk about what happened.

The tone that the team leader sets about viewing failure as a learning opportunity is critical.

According to the Harvard Business Review, astute leaders know that every problem presents an opportunity.

By taking an optimistic stance and calling attention to these opportunities, they empower teams to recognize the problem and explore new solutions.

An optimistic stance is not the same thing as denying the reality of a situation or sugarcoating bad news. This breeds cynicism and distrust.

When leaders and teams acknowledge setbacks and disappointments in a straightforward manner without blame, it creates a sense of safety and a drive toward continuing the effort.

Now You: How have you stayed optimistic in the face of a failure?
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