Slowly, she entered the headmistressâs office, not sure of what to expect. To her shock, she saw kindness on the womanâs face. âI think youâre being punished enough,â the headmistress told her. âYou donât need me to add to it.â It was many years ago, and a 15-year-old Sonamara Jeffreys had been accused of breaking the school rulesââironically, for something that I didnât do ⦠at least not that time,â she shared with me just the other day. Today, Sonamara is president of our firmâs business in EMEA. But on that long-ago day, she was walking a tightropeâbetween her very strict mother and the headmistress of the school. She waited outside a closed office door for an hour that felt like an eternity. Suddenly, her mother emerged. âYouâre staying,â she said brusquely, then left without any explanation. Thatâs when the headmistress called Sonamara into her office. âThat second chance was a turning point in my young life. After that, I just put my head down and got on my studies.â Itâs a fact of life and leaders [Black Korn Ferry logo JPG 400.png]() Slowly, she entered the headmistressâs office, not sure of what to expect. To her shock, she saw kindness on the womanâs face. âI think youâre being punished enough,â the headmistress told her. âYou donât need me to add to it.â It was many years ago, and a 15-year-old Sonamara Jeffreys had been accused of breaking the school rulesââironically, for something that I didnât do ⦠at least not that time,â she shared with me just the other day. Today, Sonamara is president of our firmâs business in EMEA. But on that long-ago day, she was walking a tightropeâbetween her very strict mother and the headmistress of the school. She waited outside a closed office door for an hour that felt like an eternity. Suddenly, her mother emerged. âYouâre staying,â she said brusquely, then left without any explanation. Thatâs when the headmistress called Sonamara into her office. âThat second chance was a turning point in my young life. After that, I just put my head down and got on my studies.â Itâs a fact of life and leadership. We all have failings and flawsâitâs the fallibility of our human nature. There will be times when we need and even ask for a second chance. And there will be moments when we need humility and graciousness to give that second chance to others. This is where the psychology comes in. âWhen someone has been on the receiving end of compassion, they will be more likely to give it to others,â Angela Castellani, a PhD clinical psychologist in our firmâs Consulting business told me this week. Having worked as a psychologist in both federal womenâs prisons and marriage counseling, Angela described how giving second chances âcreates an environment in which we can surround ourselves with people who will support and rally around us.â And thatâs the leaderâs roleârecalling, but never dwelling. Itâs understanding the past, but not staying there. Here are some thoughts: Itâs not called failure. Think about it for a moment. When someone is given an opportunity that really tests them, thereâs a high probability for mistakes. Itâs not what counts at the moment of failure, however, itâs what you do after that matters most. Instead of viewing failure as an impediment to progress, itâs embraced as the best pathway to improvement. Thatâs why we all should give and get second chancesâfor the simple reason that there is far more potential in the future than error in the moment. Itâs called learning. When a second chance is required, itâs up to leaders to help people flip the switch. And thereâs science to back it. When negativity gives way to positivity, the result is a corrective experience that builds confidence and competence. This is why the most profound learning comes through redemption. Itâs quite the paradox. Weâre hard-wired for safety and self-preservationâyet we are most fulfilled when we take the risk to expose our frailties. And thatâs the grace of a second chanceâreinventing, refreshing, renewing. Weâre pleased to launch a new book from Korn Ferry, [Take Control]() â and itâs all about getting ahead and advancing careers. This latest book follows [The Five Graces of Life and Leadership](), offering imagery, emotions, and insights that capture the human side of leadership. Both books are now available. Regards, Gary Burnison
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