In 1991 Anne Busquet was General manager of the Optima Card division for American Express. When five of her 2,000 employees were found to have hidden $24 million in losses, she was held accountable. Busquet had to face the fact that, as an intense perfectionist, she apparently came across as intimidating and confrontational to her subordinates--to the point they were more willing to lie than to report bad news to her!
Busquet lost her Optima job, but was given a second chance by American Express: an opportunity to salvage one of its smaller businesses. Her self-esteem shaken, she nearly turned down the offer. Then she decided this was her chance to alter the way she related to others. She took on the new job as a personal challenge to change.
Realizing she had to be much more understanding, she began to work on being more patient and listening more carefully and intently. She learned to solicit bad news in an unintimidating way.
Four years after she was removed from her previous position, Ann Busquet was promoted to be an executive vice-president at American Express.
Failure is not the end; it is a teacher for a new beginning and a better life.
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.
Proverbs 24:16
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