Two lessons on handling failure

How do leaders handle failure? Leadership often involves venturing into the unknown and taking significant risks. Failures and setbacks are inevitable and can be devastating, yet how leaders respond to these challenges defines their journey.

Here are two inspiring examples of leaders who managed failure in extraordinary ways:

Steve Jobs

By the age of 30, Steve Jobs was a superstar. He had taken Apple public, was worth hundreds of millions, and had revolutionized personal computing. However, trouble arose when Macintosh sales faltered, leading to conflicts with John Sculley, the CEO he had brought to Apple. In 1985, Jobs was ousted from the company he co-founded, an event he later described as feeling like a punch that knocked the wind out of him.

The setback was profound. Jobs even sold all his Apple shares, signaling a complete break. Despite the emotional toll, his resilience and unwavering belief in his vision for computing innovation shone through. By August 1985, Jobs had started his next venture, NeXT, laying the groundwork for his eventual return to Apple and further transformative work. Jobs’ ability to rise from his lowest point demonstrated the power of resilience and the importance of moving forward even amid failure.

Nelson Mandela: Persistence in the Face of Adversity

Nelson Mandela’s fight against apartheid in South Africa stands as one of the most remarkable stories of persistence in the face of failure. Once a respected leader and activist, Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, spending much of this time in solitary confinement. For many, such an ordeal would signify a crushing defeat.

Mandela, however, refused to see it that way. He held steadfast to his vision of a free and equal South Africa. Even during his imprisonment, he continued to inspire others, keeping the dream alive. Upon his release, Mandela led South Africa out of apartheid, becoming its first democratically elected president and a global symbol of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Failures are an inevitable part of leadership. However, the ability to handle failure with resilience, persistence, and faith in one’s vision is what separates great leaders from the rest. Whether it’s Steve Jobs rising from the ashes of his ouster or Nelson Mandela emerging from decades of imprisonment to change the course of history, their stories remind us that seemingly  unsurmountable setbacks are not the end.