How Do You React to Bad News?

We all experience failure in our lives. There are loves that are lost, contracts that aren’t awarded, products that don’t sell, goals we don’t reach, and businesses that fail. Ultimately though, it’s how we handle these failures that define us.

For example, American auto manufacturers have had a tough go of it over the past several years.  GM and Chrysler’s businesses failed and required government bailouts.  Ford didn’t require a bailout, but still had huge problems of its own. Journalist Bryce Hoffman, in his new book, American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company, talks about how Ford avoided bailouts, dealt with its failures, and was placed on a positive course for the future.

So what is one of the secrets to Mulally’s leadership as CEO of Ford? Simply put, it was maintaining a positive attitude.

Mulally, though facing possible failure, is described as always being upbeat, and being the first one to get over bad news.  He maintained a positive attitude every day, and kept smiling, even though there wasn’t a lot to smile about.  His positive attitude set the standard for others, and he was able to encourage everyone to work together, rather than succumb to failure. Mulally was, and still is, a leader that the employees of Ford believe in, and his attitude promotes success.

So, what kind of leader are you? Do you keep a positive attitude each day when presented with bad news or possible failure?  Is your attitude one that you can be proud of? Does your behavior motivate your employees to succeed?

When faced with bad news or possible failure, remember that if you aren’t part of the solution, you are very possibly part of the problem.