Many of the most successful people didn't have a straightforward or easy path to the top. They made big mistakes, missed big opportunities, and suffered harsh setbacks.
What distinguishes them is the way they responded.
LinkedIn recently asked more than 60 of its influencers what their "best career mistake" was — something that seemed like a disaster at the time that ended up being incredibly beneficial.
For example, Asana co-founder Justin Rosenstein failed to get an early version of Google Drive off the ground because he didn't push hard enough for the project. "Larry [Page] was so successful and smart," he said. "I just didn’t have the confidence back then to do what I wish I’d done in hindsight." But that mistake has made him a better leader today.
We've pulled out some of the most compelling and interesting stories that show no matter how bad things seem at the time, it's usually not the end of the world.
T. Boone Pickens didn't do enough research on a lawn mowing deal he entered into with his grandmother, and had a terrible summer.
For his first job, Pickens decided to go into a lawn mowing deal with his grandmother, who owned six small rental houses at the time, but he failed to do any research on his business strategy:
"It would rain two days, then we would have sun for five days. I could see the grass growing – and growing. I hadn’t looked at the job very closely. I didn’t realize the lawns were as big as they were, or what a rainy summer would do to me.
"'This was a very bad summer, and you made a bad deal,' my grandmother told me. I couldn’t help but agree. Grandmother was right. Misjudging that bid was a small mistake, one that only cost me a few dollars. Yet the sting of that minor miscalculation created such a long-lasting impression that it has stayed seared in my mind throughout my entire career."
Rajat Taneja, CTO of Electronic Arts, failed to make an elevator pitch to an important executive.
When he was still at Microsoft, Taneja, found himself in an elevator with an important executive and couldn't say anything more than "hello":
"After that elevator ride, I promised myself to make more of an effort to connect with people with whom I don’t normally interact. In many cases these serendipitous conversations add a whole new dimension to ones thinking ... For those who find themselves in similar situation as I did, my advice is to always take the opportunity to connect with others but the key is to be genuine in doing so. Put some forethought into what you’d want to talk with someone about if you had the chance — this will make for better conversation.
"This experience taught me that in business, you have to make the most of the moments you have and to not let a level of intimidation get in the way of making a good, and lasting, impression."
Source: LinkedIn
Vivian Schiller, chief digital officer of NBC, never mapped out her 5-year career plan.
When Schiller started in the media industry, she was told that she should choose either the creative or business route, but she was interested in both, so she never chose:
"I loved the creative side — developing documentaries, editing scripts, constructing story narratives. However, I also loved the business end. I made distribution deals with foreign broadcasters, worked with ad sales on sponsorship packages and marketing extensions. I took some interesting detours: licensing and merchandising for Captain Planet and the Planeteers; marketing the Golden Globes for TBS. It was a rush. So I kept deferring the decision about what I wanted to be.
"Since I was not on a proven course, it was never clear how one job would lead to the next. But choosing my trajectory one crossroad at a time allowed me to enjoy both sides of the media business, and I collected eclectic skill sets that prepared me for unanticipated opportunities."
"I may have seemed to weave between jobs on different sides of the industry, but what I’ve walked away with is a 360-degree view of media. Having no set roadmap gave me a view in every direction. And I truly believe that success doesn't come with a set plan. It comes with patience, a little luck, and trusting yourself to choose the opportunities that are right — for you."
Source: LinkedIn
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