Are You a Successful Failure?

By Ray Dreyfack

According to Elihu Root, “Men do not fail; they give up trying.”

That’s one way of looking at it. Author and philosopher Grenville Kleiser had another viewpoint: “The most successful people learn from their failures and use them as stepping stones to success.”

Success in most cases is built on failure. Are failed building blocks crucial parts of your career structure? Take the following quiz for some revealing insights into your own career. Answer yes or no:

1. When the day’s or week’s calls are done, do you review your misses as well as your hits? Do you analyze what went wrong as well as right during those calls?

2. Do you record your findings in a well-indexed notebook?

3. Do you check each and every sales transaction with the question, “Have I done my best to meet the customer’s expectations?”

4. If your boss considers you a failure – or success – do you know why?

5. Do you periodically discuss your rating with your boss?

6. Do you know how you rate as a sales professional in the eyes of your key customers? Do you ever discuss this with your boss?

7. Does your boss feel that hiring you was one of his best moves?

8. Can you cite five mistakes you made over the past six months that were serious learning experiences?

Enter the total number of yes answers – the more the merrier.