Here's how you can guide clients through a major failure and restore their confidence.

My mantra is that lesson will repeat when you fail to heed them. The goal is to be a fast learner and an attentive student when failure comes knocking. Don't look at it as punitive but rather as an opportunity to also learn. Allow yourself time to grieve without wallowing. Once you have identified the 'why' of the failure, you are ready to use those lessons to strategize and do better.

When clients go through a major failure or setback, I believe working through a person centered approach is best way to restore client's confidence in their own internal resources, and their competences to use those resources to spring back. A coach may want to provide unconditional positive regard. Exhibiting to the client that a failure doesn’t define the worth of the client, and you (as a coach) can accept both, the ups and downs, in a client's life, is therapeutic. Being empathic, listening to understand, probing to clarity client's own thought processes are other practices that will help client find their personal meanings in the failures, and use them to catapult further.

Failure is not the end but the beginning of a new journey. When setbacks strike, it's an opportunity to redefine your path and emerge stronger than before. Encourage clients to try to avoid failure head-on. Acceptance is the first step toward healing. Help them understand that it's okay to feel disappointed, but it's crucial to avoid dwelling on the negative. Guide clients in analyzing what went wrong without self-blame. Identify lessons learned and areas for improvement. This reflection transforms failure into a valuable learning experience. Failure is a stepping stone to success. By accepting reality and extracting lessons from setbacks, clients can rebuild their confidence and move forward with renewed vigor.

When there is a failure, it’s critical to not define yourself as a failure but instead to focus on the thing that you did or did not do was what failed.

I think as a coach we can help them to deal with their perplexed emotions at their own pace. It's like being with them and letting them see the other side so that they decide not to delve deep into guilt trips or heavy regrets. Basically they have to take the action. We can help them by being non judgemental and by lending a compassionate heart to hear their misery. Further showing them a path that if they did a mistake it's they only who can correct it through discipline, willpower, manifestation and their deep desire of what they really wish to be. That 'wish to be' has to be so strong and compelling that they are able to replace fear, guilt, heaviness with courage, conviction and strength. That's the power of coaching!

When failure knocks you down, the emotional support you receive helps you rise again, stronger and more resilient. Provide a non-judgmental environment where clients feel heard and understood. Encourage them to express their feelings freely, assuring them that their emotions are valid and part of the healing process. Highlight their strengths and past achievements. Remind them of their capabilities and resilience. Use positive affirmations to rebuild their self-esteem and instill a sense of hope. Emotional support is crucial in navigating failure. By offering a safe space and reinforcing strengths, you can help clients regain confidence and embrace new opportunities with courage.

Encourage the client to release all emotions that might be triggered by limited beliefs, saboteur voices, interpretations and/or assumption. Take the time to coach the being by understanding the thoughts, the beliefs that led to negative emotions. Last but not least, be curious as a coach on how these emotions can impact their actions and the way they would like to move forward about it

La escucha activa suele ser muy importante es esta staución donde el cliente nos cuenta cuáles piensa él que han sido los motivos de su fracaso, qué le costo o le cuesta hacer para enfrentar situaciones difíciles que lo llevaron a fallar. Puede haber un adecuado intercambio de experiencias entre ambos y el ciente sentirá que no es el único que ha tenido esos problemas y esto lo va a motivar a buscar nuevos retos.

Les émotions face à l'échec sont souvent en rapport avec les réflexions de l'entourage. Beaucoup essaient un soutien émotionnel mais vont juste transférer ce qu'eux même ressentiraient ou feraient dans la même situation. Il est donc important d'aider son client à prendre du recul à effacer toute croyance limitante et de rester objectif devant la situation. Ai-je fais mon maximum avec mes compétences du moment? Oui? Alors il n'y a pas de regrets à avoir, mais plutôt de projeter vers l'avenir, et se dire comment acquérir plus de connaissances, plus de compétences afin d'être mieux armer la prochaine fois, car oui il y a forcément une prochaine fois.

Failure is not a dead end but a detour leading to greater wisdom and success. By analyzing setbacks, clients can uncover the keys to future triumphs. Encourage clients to evaluate the failure without self-blame. Break down what happened, identify contributing factors, and separate controllable from uncontrollable elements. Help clients derive practical lessons from their analysis. Pinpoint specific actions they can take to avoid similar pitfalls in the future, turning the experience into a powerful learning opportunity. By objectively analyzing failure and extracting actionable insights, clients can rebuild confidence and navigate future challenges with enhanced understanding and resilience.

I honestly loathe the word failure as it carries a finality with it. Life is about learning and as we learn we are in various stages where we often have to try again or try differently. The approach to setbacks that I use helps clients to analyze the situation and prepare to do thing differently moving forward. What did we do right? What was supposed to happen? What actually happened? What do we wish we had done differently?

Often after a failure meaning is assigned to that failure and a story is formed assuming doors have closed, dreams have ended or reputation is irreparably damaged. Those are extreme results. More likely failure can be the beginning of redemption. Help the individual disconnect the story from the facts. Then learning opportunities can be explored and an action plan put in place.

When something does not go as planned you still get insight and experience to add to your skill set for the future. It is how you take that knowledge forward that matters.

Every time we experience a failure or a set-back, we have an opportunity to take a close look at all of the dimensions of the situation, and step back to see what lessons can be gleaned. Invariably there is a gift to be had when we take that approach, or help our clients to take a clear-eyed look and get past the sting of disappointment or shame to learn something valuable. These opportunities to learn and move ahead with new insight, or to course-correct, or to learn a skill that was needed, or to benefit in some other way, are a gift that may feel hard to grasp in the moment, but are often clear when reflected on in hindsight. Acknowledging in the moment that you can benefit from the situation is likely to make things better faster.

When failure shakes your foundation, rebuilding confidence is the first step to reclaiming your path and achieving greatness. Encourage clients to start with small, attainable goals. No matter how minor, each success builds momentum and reinforces their belief in their abilities. Acknowledge and celebrate every milestone. Highlighting progress helps clients see their growth and motivates them to strive towards their larger objectives. Rebuilding confidence starts with small wins and recognizing progress. By setting achievable goals and celebrating milestones, clients can regain their self-assurance and tackle future challenges with renewed strength.

All of these sections are important, but I think they all build to this area - rebuild their self-confidence. Without judgement, you have to lead the individual thru what they did, what they were supposed to do, what results they achieved, how results could be better. Of course questions vary depending upon the area they are working. In some areas there are very rigid checklists they have to follow. In other areas their are guides. In some, like cutting edge ventures, there is a lot of leeway. The leader has to know the environment and have the individuals best as their desired result. Not putting them down, making them feel bad, firing them. It's about learning and growing to try it again, as failure is on the path to success.

It's a myth that we start with confidence. It's a myth that confidence is a requirement. Confidence comes as a result of taking action, faltering, and making mistakes. Yes, failures can sometimes bring a dent in our confidence. They can put us back 10 steps. Yet, we also have in us the ability to refocus quickly. This is emotional flexibility in action – the ability to shake off mistakes and stay focused on the next play. This is what elite athletes do all the time. Failures, mistakes, and misguided decisions are part of the journey. They all indicate progress.

Uno de los casos más emblemáticos y público que me tocó liderar como Coach fue con un cliente que estuvo asociado a otra persona que fue a dar a la cárcel por una estafa financiera. Por lo tanto, mi cliente tenía que rearmar toda su empresa nuevamente, desde lo edilicio hasta el equipo de trabajo y lo más importante encontrar clientes nuevamente. La acción se emprendió de inmediato, no había tiempo para llorar ni lamentarse, esto fue muy importante, tomar acción rápido. Convocar a las personas adecuadas fue la estrategia que aplicamos, hablando con ellos de forma transparente y respondiendo todo lo que necesitaban saber para sumarse al nuevo equipo. Otra estrategia de impacto fue implementar la formación continua para los líderes de venta

El factor más importante para reconstruir la confianza es ser consistente con las promesas hechas a los clientes Primer paso: Transparencia Total, ser completamente transparente acerca de lo que salió mal y por qué. Evitar ocultar o minimizar los errores, los clientes lo apreciarán. Mantener una comunicación abierta y constante, informándoles de las medidas que se están tomando para corregir y prevenir futuras ocurrencias. Demostrar un compromiso renovado con la calidad y la excelencia. Ofrecer compensaciones para demostrar el compromiso con la satisfacción del cliente. Restablecida la confianza, es fundamental mantenerla a través de una entrega continua de valor y excelencia.

Failure is not a final verdict but a call to action. With a strategic plan, clients can turn setbacks into a roadmap for future success. Guide clients to evaluate their current situation, identifying what went wrong and why. Use these insights to adapt their strategies and create a more resilient plan. Help clients break down their goals into clear, manageable milestones, providing a sense of direction and measurable progress keeping motivation high. Strategic planning transforms failure into an opportunity. By assessing, adapting, and setting clear milestones, clients can regain confidence and navigate their path to success with purpose.

The strategy development process I use, is a 7-step process 1. Analyse 2. Visualise 3. Prioritise 4. Strategise 5. Systemise 6. Optimise 7. Synchronise Getting clarity, focus and traction around your goals is key. Clarity is about deeply understanding the truest version of your current situation you can muster and understanding the external environment you're part of, whether personal or business. Getting focused on what you want to achieve will be clearer from here. Setting milestones along the way helps break down a bigger goal and then taking small steps makes it easier. Getting traction through making decisions and taking action, small steps at first is a powerful way to move forward towards you're desired outcome and feel good.

Let’s take an example of a company generating a turnover of between $5M and $10M with 6 to 20 employees. Their failure is to continuously try & run marketing webinars, ads, strategies with no exp. So, once they’ve accepted, are aware and ready to take next actions, specifically from a strategic planning perspective - they should: Plan/analyse - which part they didn’t nail properly (demographics, didn’t niche down enough, messaging, criteria, risks & benefits) Objectives - brainstorm & implement 3 solutions Milestones - pick the winner by certain date Potential challenges - expect them rather than avoid, be mentally ready Once the winning strategy is determined, take massive action (similar approach can be used to other scenarios)

We cannot dwell on the past indefinitely. The next step is to shift our focus to the future. Together with our clients, we must develop a strategic plan that incorporates the lessons learned from the failure. This plan should outline clear goals, timelines, and measurable outcomes. By involving clients in this planning phase, we not only give them a voice but also make them active participants in shaping the future, which further solidifies our partnership.

La planification stratégique est une étape importante pour le client car cela sous entend qu'il a pris conscience de sa situation actuelle et qu'il est mobilisé pour agir vers sa situation souhaitée. Les petits pas réalisés donnent confiance et permettent de franchir les étapes vers une reconstruction profonde.

We don't have to let mistakes break us. Remind people that they are human and can choose to persevere. Guess what, they will make a mistake again. Encourage them to think about how they will want to respond? Lets decide now. Remind the client that to make a mistake doesn't mean anything about who they are, rather an isolated choice they made that didn't pan out the way they had hoped. Guiding them to their own conclusions is amazing to observe. I can see the absolute best in all of my clients. I get the privelage of helping them bring it to the surface so they can see it too.

Guiding clients through a big failure and boosting their confidence is all about building resilience. Show them how to turn failures into lessons. Break goals into bite-sized pieces to make progress feel doable. Encourage a mindset where setbacks are just plot twists in their success story. Throw in some mindfulness and stress-busting techniques to keep them calm and focused. With these creative strategies, you can help clients bounce back stronger and ready to tackle anything!

Resilience is a critical trait that needs to be developed and can only be honed as individuals face setbacks or challenges or even failure. The key is to take stock of what did not work well, adjust, and start again. There are always lessons to learn and they will help you to succeed in the future. Perhaps you ask for advice from a trusted source or do more research, or even see if you can get feedback as to why the situation didn’t work out. Being introspective and willing to adapt is so important to human growth and growth and development. And will also strengthen your resilience and confidence.

Everyone says cultivate a growth mindset, but leaves out the "how". The reason is probably because it's not a simple and linear path. Openness to experience, and creativity are factors in building a growth mindset. These can be developed through a self-reflective process. A process involving iterative experimentation (taking small risks) can also help foster a creative and open mindset. Resilience comes as a result of multiple factors including one's own comfort with vulnerability, ability to regulate emotion, and ability to manage volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.

A failure is not the end; it’s a turning point. It’s an opportunity for us to learn, grow, and come back stronger. As a company, we must maintain resilience and encourage our clients to do the same. Challenges will always be a part of business, but how we respond to them defines who we are. We must demonstrate that we have the strength, agility, and determination to turn this setback into a success story. Resilience isn't just about bouncing back—it's about moving forward with greater insight and preparedness.

When guiding clients through a major failure focus on the 4 C's of mental toughness: control, commitment, challenge, and confidence. First, help them regain a sense of control by breaking down the situation and identifying what they can influence moving forward. Then, we reinforce their commitment to their goals, reminding them why they started this journey. Encourage them to see failure as a challenge—an opportunity for growth rather than a setback. Emphasizing the mantra "there is no failure, only feedback." Help them reframe the experience as valuable learning. Lastly, work on rebuilding their confidence by celebrating small wins and recognizing their progress.

Guiding clients through a major failure begins with understanding how they define "failure." Often, what they see as failure is simply an unexpected result—a valuable piece of data. By shifting this perspective, they can see that not achieving a goal is not failure, but a learning opportunity - getting them one step closer to that very goal. Real failure occurs only when one refuses to try or take any action toward their goal. Embracing this mindset allows clients to view setbacks as steps in their growth journey, restoring their confidence and empowering them to move forward with resilience and determination. It has the powerful effect of de-stigmatising the very idea of failure to them as well as those around them.

Es crucial abordar la situación mostrando una comprensión genuina de cómo el fracaso ha afectado al cliente así, se construye una conexión más fuerte y se demuestra que se valoran sus preocupaciones. Un fracaso es una oportunidad para aprender y mejorar. Analizar los errores y extraer lecciones para prevenir fallos fortalecerá a la organización y al equipo, que aprenderá a gestionar contratiempos con una mentalidad positiva. Involucrar a los clientes en el proceso es muy beneficioso, sus opiniones sobre cómo mejorar ayudarán a restaurar la confianza. Reconocer y celebrar las pequeñas victorias en el camino hacia la recuperación puede mantener la moral alta y demostrar progreso. Esto ayudará mantener al cliente optimista sobre el futuro.

Particularmente mi vida se fue afectada por un mantra de los cursos de Dale Carnegie, “Yo conozco gente del montón que siempre será del montón. ¿Sabes por qué? Yo te diré por qué. Porque nunca terminan lo que comienzan.” Y no es que no me haya sido útil, si lo fue. Pero en ocasiones hay que soltar. A veces es mejor no terminar. En ocasiones no es el camino. En realidad la película a los 10 minutos no es buena. Cámbiala. El libro en sus primeras 100 hojas no te cautiva, podrías considerar leer otro, eso también es bueno.

Here is what should also be considered. Although we learn more from failure than success, you should celebrate the victories or successes you have along your new entrepreneurial journey. Failure many times is due to a lack of skills or competencies. Maybe it's time to identify in which area you nee to improve your skills and expertise. I also recommend joining groups or associations of fellow entrepreneurs. You will definitely see that you are not the only one. Visualise your future entrepeneurial journey, where you want to go, which are your goal and stay positive to reach out to it.