An Illustrated Guide to Succeeding Where So Many Leaders Fail
Skip to content
Insight Unpacked Season 3: Can We Still Build a Green Economy? | Listen
A magazine of research and ideas from the
faculty of the Kellogg School of Management
An Illustrated Guide to Succeeding Where So Many Leaders Fail
Leadership May 2, 2024

An Illustrated Guide to Succeeding Where So Many Leaders Fail

Failure happens. What can we learn from it?

Michael Meier

Based on insights from

Sanjay Khosla

Summary For business leaders, failure can be hard to talk about. And for good reason: failure stings. It puts a dent in our egos, exposes us to criticism, and leaves us feeling vulnerable. According to Sanjay Khosla, having the courage to acknowledge failures—and the humility to learn from them—is essential for top executives. In this clever illustrated comic, Khosla offers five lessons leaders can take from common leadership failures.

For most business leaders, talking about their failures may not come as naturally as trumpeting their successes. And for good reason: failure stings. It puts a dent in our egos, exposes us to criticism, and leaves us feeling vulnerable.

But according to Sanjay Khosla, a senior fellow and adjunct professor at the Kellogg School, having the courage to acknowledge failures—and the humility to learn from them—is essential for top executives. It’s why, as part of his executive leadership coaching, he asks his clients to share their biggest professional failures.

In this comic drawn by Michael Meier, Khosla lays out lessons that you can take away from five common leadership failures.

Featured Faculty
Sanjay Khosla

Senior Fellow and Adjunct Professor of Marketing

About the Writer

Michael Meier is an illustrator based in Kassel, Germany.

LinkedIn Logo Share Chain Link Link Email Printer Print Republish
Most Popular This Week
  1. 5 Traits That Set the Best Leaders Apart
    A former CEO and current executive coach discusses the tendencies of these high performers, including sharing credit and ignoring shiny objects.
  2. Podcast: Why Wall Street Slowed Its Roll on Sustainability
    A few years ago, the stock market was wild about green tech and ESG funds. And then it wasn’t. We look at why in the third episode of “Insight Unpacked: Can We Still Build a Green Economy?”
  3. What a Legendary Winemaker Can Teach Us about Leadership
    A renowned viticulturist helped turn Portugal’s Douro Valley into one of the world’s great wine regions. His philosophy holds value beyond the vineyard.
  4. When the Fog Rolls In, Do Leaders Need a Map or a Compass?
    Some moments call for a business plan, while others call for adaptability. Here’s how to know when to lean on one or the other.
  5. A Key Ingredient for Making Teams Soar
    A study of pilots breaks down rapport into several components—and identifies which is most important for effective teamwork.
  6. Advice to Graduates in an AI-Disrupted Job Market
    In today’s rapidly changing world, new graduates will need to become far more adaptable and forward-thinking than any previous generation.
  7. Podcast: Does Climate Policy Stand a Chance?
    America passed its biggest-ever climate bill … only to reverse course three years later. In the fourth episode of “Insight Unpacked: Can We Still Build a Green Economy?” experts discuss why policy solutions struggle to stick.
  8. Take 5: Career Advice from the Sports World
    Kellogg faculty share lessons on how to get ahead in fiercely competitive fields.
More in Leadership
When the Fog Rolls In, Do Leaders Need a Map or a Compass?
About Us Faculty & Research Research Hub
2211 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208
insight@kellogg.northwestern.edu
LinkedIn LinkedIn Substack Substack Substack RSS
© Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern
University. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy.