Starting Again

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently”.

– Henry Ford

With the changes in our economy over the past several years many people have found themselves starting again.  They are not starting over exactly but are placed in a situation where they must reinvent themselves or their company.  What worked before does not work today and what works today may not work tomorrow.  We are operating in a global economy where media connects us in ways it never did before.  While there are many positives to this hyper connectivity it also means that change is occurring on a scale like never before and quickly.  This requires business leaders to be more creative and nimble.  New ideas and strategies have less time to develop and be tested which means failure is bound to occur from time to time.  The important thing to remember is that failure is an opportunity for growth.  As leaders we often learn the most during difficult times because it causes us to stop and evaluate the mistakes that were made along the way, determine how to not repeat those same mistakes and analyze what would have worked better.  If you have experienced a failure recently do not be discouraged.  Value the lessons learned, shake the dust off your feet and start again.