Description
Book SynopsisLeverage the power of failure in your organization Nobody wants to fail, but failure is a fact of life. Most of us treat it as a regrettable, even shameful, event best overlooked. In truth, failure can be a game-changing strategic resource that can help you and your organization achieve the greater success you crave.
The Other F Word shows how successful leaders and teams are putting failure to work every day - to re-engage employees, spark innovation and accelerate growth. Authors Danner and Coopersmith - with their rare blend of senior-level executive experience, global advising, teaching acumen and cross-discipline perspective - share these valuable new practices, and show how they can improve results across your organization. Based on exclusive interviews with prominent leaders and insightful examples from their own in-depth work, the book features a practical seven-stage framework to liberate failure as a force to advance your leadership agenda. After all,
Table of Contents
Foreword by Jeffrey Bewkes, Chairman and CEO, Time Warner xv
Preface: A Book About a Topic Nobody Wants to Talk About xvii
Chapter 1 What’s in It for Me? Your Personal Guided Book Tour 1
Part I What: The Facts and Facets of Failure 11
Chapter 2 The Other F Word: “Failure” Is Such a Loaded Word 13
Chapter 3 The Gravity of Failure and Failure’s Gravity 21
Chapter 4 Defining Failure: Mistakes and Unwelcome Outcomes That Matter 27
Chapter 5 Fear and Memory: Failure’s Force Multipliers 37
Part II When and Where: How Failure Appears at Different Organizational Phases 47
Chapter 6 Start-Ups: Launching Your Venture in the Land of Failure 49
Your Role: Passionate Convincer
Chapter 7 Keep-Ups: Surviving and Thriving After You Meet Payroll 67
Your Role: Confident Juggler
Chapter 8 Grown-Ups: Dodging the Oxymoron of “Big Company Agility” 81
Your Role: Trusted Colleague
Part III How: Using the Failure Value Cycle to Advance Your Organization 97
Chapter 9 The Failure Value Cycle: Seven Stages Where You Can Leverage or Flunk Failure 99
Chapter 10 Stage One—Respect: Acknowledge the Gravity of Failure 103
Your Role: Straight Talker
Chapter 11 Stage Two—Rehearse: It’s Not Just About Fire Drills 121
Your Role: Tenacious Coach
Chapter 12 Stage Three—Recognize: Pick Up the Signals of Failure Earlier 131
Your Role: Watchful Monitor
Chapter 13 Stage Four—React: Deal with It! 143
Your Role: Team Captain
Chapter 14 Stage Five—Reflect: Turn Failure from a Regret to a Resource 153
Your Role: Inquisitive Student
Chapter 15 Stage Six—Rebound: Retake the Initiative 165
Your Role: Field General
Chapter 16 Stage Seven—Remember: Embed Failure Savvy in Your Culture 173
Your Role: Proud Storyteller
Chapter 17 The Failure Value Report Card: A Practical Tool to Help You Put Failure to Work 183
Part IV Now: Put the Other F Word to Work 193
Chapter 18 Creating the Failure-Savvy Organization 195
Chapter 19 Escape the Gravity of Failure: Leading the Fallible Organization 209
Afterword by China Gorman, CEO, Great Place to Work Institute 213
Appendix—Our Classrooms: Putting Failure to Work in Creating Value 215
Acknowledgments 225
About the Authors 227
Notes 229
Index 249
Presenting The Other “F” Word Keynote 259
