As the saying goes, “Success is a lousy teacher. Failure is a brutal but effective mentor, or as the Japanese say Shippai wa seikō no moto (“Failure is the origin of success”).”
Imagine a leader who spearheaded a market entry strategy that didn’t quite hit the mark in Japan. One type of leader might simply see this as a failure to be forgotten. But the kind of leader this global talent acquisition expert was seeking would dissect the experience: What were the underlying factors? Were there cultural nuances missed? Were the execution strategies flawed?
More importantly, what actions followed? Did they pivot their approach? Did the experience yield crucial insights that informed future strategies? This line of questioning highlighted a critical aspect of leadership: the ability to learn actively from less-than-ideal outcomes.
Similarly, consider a leader navigating a challenging clinical trial that didn’t produce the anticipated results. A leader accustomed only to wins might struggle to rally a disheartened team and reassess the path forward. However, a leader with experience in navigating such disappointments likely possesses the empathy, communication skills, and strategic agility to learn from the data and chart a new course. In Japan, where trust and long-term vision are paramount, this demonstrated capacity for learning and adaptation from setbacks can be a significant asset, fostering stronger partnerships and a culture of continuous improvement.
