Redefining Failure

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Melissa Harvey
  • 301st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
NAVAL AIR STATION FORT WORTH JOINT RESERVE BASE, Texas --  (Editor's note: This is the second of a three-part series on the importance on overcoming failure to reach success. Part two focuses on redefining failure.)

Athletes train for countless days, weeks, and months for an opportunity to prove they are the best in their sport. Every four years, a few contend for 17 days at the Olympics for a coveted gold medal -- the right to be called the best in the world. Few attain this goal, while many others do not.

Is failure to achieve the ultimate goal a complete and all-encompassing failure?

In the Air Force, the ultimate goal is saving lives rather than obtaining gold medals. Wing-level leaders, especially commanders, understand the implication of falling short. Former 301st Fighter Wing commander, Brig. Gen. Ronald Miller, now the mobilization assistant to the commander, First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., thinks about failure differently than some.

"One definition of failure is a lack of success. We all have seen lack of success in many different ways, but I am not sure that I have seen total failure...I would argue that if something is deemed a failure, there would be no way to find success," said Miller.

Miller's view on failure has been tested during his career more than once.

One way to measure the capability of mission success for a wing, is an operational readiness inspection (ORI). During the inspection, members' abilities to survive and operate are tested in a simulated environment. During Miller's time as commander of the 301 FW there was an ORI, during which the wing did not pass.

"While the prevailing thought was that we failed somewhere, a different way of thinking about it would be we did not have enough success," Miller said.

"Both of our ORIs were important and failure was not an option. By focusing on the individual tasks that were not successful, we were able to train better and eventually pass both inspections."

The 301 FW's current Commander, Col. John Breazeale, points out sometimes it takes experiencing failure to obtain a higher level of experience.

"We all have personal moments where things don't go as planned. One of my moments was when I did not get selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel. I thought I had worked hard to deserve it, but the board didn't select me. After getting over the initial sting, I found the positive... the extra year would ultimately allow me to enjoy my passion for flying fighters and leading Airmen at the unit level longer in my career. Looking back, I realize that was the best thing that ever happened to me. The opportunities I had to stand up a new squadron, lead an A-10 fighter group, and now lead the world's greatest fighter wing, may not have happened," said Breazeale.

As a leader, managing the opinions of others once failure has occurred can add to the challenge already at hand.

"I can't worry about how others view my failures. My approach is to be honest with myself and others when I miss the mark. My next step is to refocus and improve or change."

How a leader deals with failure on a personal level can also have an impact on those he leads and the outcome of the situation.

"Anytime I fall short of my goals, I take a step back and analyze just why I failed to meet my objective. My next step is to come up with a plan to succeed next time. My grandmother always told me that when the world handed me lemons, I needed to make lemonade. I haven't forgotten that."

"I never really focus on my failures. It is imperative that we acknowledge our mistakes and failures, learn from them without dwelling on them, and find a way to improve."

In the end, while the ultimate goal of an athlete may be to win a gold medal, and the goal of a military leader is centered on saving lives, there is a journey both must go on to get to the desired goal. This journey will undoubtedly include some level of failure along the way that can, if allowed, lead to achievement of the ultimate goal.