How to Fail Successfully, Stop Interrupting, and Extra March-April Tips for Print Pros

LEADERSHIP

Fail Forward, Fast and Cheap

Leadership scholar Warren Bennis noted that almost every great leader could point to a personal failure that forged resilience. Embrace failure — but do it wisely: fail cheaply (minimum viable experiments), fail quickly (to prove or disprove), and fail forward (extracting lessons each time).

MANAGEMENT

Communicate Like It Matters

A Harris Poll found 91% of employees believe their bosses don’t communicate well. Lou Solomon of Interact says the fix is specific praise, timely feedback, and public recognition. Sharing information openly and showing humanity are underrated but powerful ways managers can connect.

HIRING

Hire Bigger Than Yourself

David Ogilvy, founder of Ogilvy & Mather, left new managers a set of Russian nesting dolls with this reminder: “If each of us hires people smaller than ourselves, we shall become a company of midgets. If each of us hires people bigger than ourselves, we shall become a company of giants.” Great businesses over-invest in hiring talent.

SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Embarrassment Is Progress

Think your old designs, pitches, or marketing pieces look cringeworthy? Good. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, says embarrassment is proof you’ve grown. If you don’t blush at what you made five years ago, you’ve been standing still. Progress leaves awkward footprints. Better to risk the wince than rot in place.

MANAGEMENT

Play to Strengths, Not Weaknesses

Marcus Buckingham, author of “The One Thing You Need to Know”, found top managers excel at identifying individual strengths and capitalizing on them. Motivating people to do what they’re naturally good at pays off more than endlessly trying to patch weaknesses.

MANAGEMENT

Listen Without Interrupting

Tom Peters, bestselling author, admits he’s a “serial interrupter.” To improve, he writes “listen” on his palm before meetings. Listening fully shows respect and deepens trust. It’s a discipline worth practicing until it becomes second nature.