Project manager

How Facing Failure Made Me a Better Leader: Meshal’s Story

As a project manager, failure is something I've always feared. But recently, I experienced it firsthand - and learned more than I ever expected.

It was a large implementation project for a new client, with an extremely tight timeline. Of course, challenges arose early on. But as the leader, I assured my team and client we'd solve any issues.In the testing phase, we discovered flaws in the deployment design. My design. I realised with dread that we'd miss the deadline, jeopardizing the entire contract. I called an emergency meeting, ready to take the heat. But the client's anger was worse than I imagined. We seemed doomed to fail.

Retrospectively, openly admitting my mistake was the smartest move. From there, I promised an all-out effort to remedy my error. Extra work nights and weekends for all.

As my exhausted team pushed to the limit, I joined in coding fixes personally. Slowly but surely, trust started rebuilding through determined action.

On the new go-live date, everything worked flawlessly. The long hours paid off and we saved the project.

At the celebration dinner, the impressed client thanked me. His words really resonated - how you resolve issues matters most as a leader.

I've learned that even the best leaders falter. But it's courage, resilience and teamwork that overcome failure. This challenge has empowered me immensely.

If you're struggling with a project snafu now, own your mistakes, then solve problems relentlessly as a united team. You may surprise yourself with the redemption possible.