Scott Ford
A few weeks ago I learned that Scott Ford had been forced to withdraw from his attempt at the Arctic Challenge due to injuries that would have impaired considerably his own efforts and those of his team mates. My immediate reaction was to feel sorry for Scott that his venture should end like this, after over two years of preparation. Then I got to thinking about the position in greater depth.
You know; many of us are acutely aware of the importance of effectively enhancing team building skills to facilitate success. We are often told that what the world wants is 'winners' - 'No one is interested in losers'.
What is often overlooked, sometimes conveniently, is the effect that ensues when an individual or team experiences a set back or even downright failure due to unforeseen circumstances.
We all like to think that we will always win, either as individuals or together as a team, but the stark realities are that the laws of probability negate this. Sooner or later we all loose, just as sooner or later we all win.
Failure at a task should not be taken as indicative that either we are failures in general or even that we will always fail at that particular task in the future. Indeed, sometimes losing is through no fault of either ourselves personally or the team. External chance will always play a part in any venture, since our environment, by nature, is continually changing and when all is said and done absolutely nothing is permanent in this life.
The important factor is how we mitigate against set backs in the first place and how we learn to cope with them should they occur.
Many winners live constantly on the edge of failure and thrive from this exposure. They learn from their experiences and come back stronger. They learn to get back on the horse rather than walk away.
When I experience a set back, I always think of Thomas Edison when he said 'I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that do not work.' One of my other personal favorites is from Winston Churchill who once said 'Success consists of going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm'.
So Scott; pick yourself up and go out and enjoy the rest of your life knowing that you are in good company! Suffice it to say, I remain in awe of your courage in taking on such a challenge in the first place.
Click Here to view Scotts Top Ten Teambuilding things learnt from his experiences | 