Fail It Forward: Lessons for Life, Leadership, and Turning Failure Into Success

Have you ever experienced a painful rejection? Life is full of these moments, but it's a topic most people avoid. Upon a closer look, rejection provides opportunities to learn, grow, and move forward with a new perspective. Join Dr. John today as he shares a few of his own moments of rejection, a framework on how to deal with them, and some practical ways to turn those moments of rejection into a recipe for success.

Have you ever had a professional success that led to a personal failure? Today we're excited to talk with our guest, Dr. John Erskine, the founder of Paradise Point, one of the most popular roadside attractions in the state of Kentucky. Before Paradise Point, Dr. John managed a successful medical practice and it was during that time that life called him to something very different. In this episode, we'll learn about the various twists and turns in Dr. John's life and how he turned worldly success into something much more significant. 

Today's episode features Brandon Warren, a prison transition specialist who helps formerly incarcerated people find jobs and continue their education after prison. What makes Brandon so unique is his personal experience with prison - he went from a prison inmate to a doctor of education and he gives back with his occupation. For the last 10 years, Brandon has worked full-time for two college programs inside the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He has also been an adjunct professor of courses in philosophy, theology, ethics, and academic skills between Lee College in Huntsville, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, on the Darrington Unit, south of Houston. In this episode, we dig into Brandon's story, some of the turning points in his life, and how he's giving back to others through his vocation.

Good leaders solve difficult problems; but what happens when a literal bomb goes off that disrupts your business and the lives of millions of people? Today we are excited to talk to the president of AT&T Tennessee, Joelle Phillips. She brings over a decade of experience in the telecommunications industry and over two decades of experience in the legal profession to her current position. We'll spend some time talking about the recent Nashville bombing that affected an AT&T service center and what she learned from that time of crisis. We'll also discuss Joelle's special relationship with her father and the lessons she learned from him.

Megan Barry was the first female mayor in Nashville's history. As mayor, she focused on improving Nashville's transportation infrastructure, providing support to communities of new Americans, and giving job opportunities to at-risk youth through her Opportunity Now program. In today's episode, we discuss lessons she learned from her time in office, how to bounce back from a personal failure, and how she's serving behind the scenes advocating against opioid addiction. 

Today we talk with former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean on what brought him to public office, the lessons he learned, and some of the decisions that helped make Nashville an "it city."

Why do startups fail? That question caught Harvard Business School professor Tom Eisenmann by surprise when he realized he couldn't answer it. So he launched a multiyear research project to find out. In his book "Why Startups Fail," Eisenmann reveals six distinct patterns that account for the vast majority of startup failures. In this episode we discuss some of those patterns so you know exactly what to avoid when starting your own business or launching a new entrepreneurial project within your organization.Whether you're a first-time founder or looking to bring innovation into a corporate environment, you'll find tremendous value from our conversation with Dr. Tom Eisenmann.

Today we are honored to talk to former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. Governor Haslam is the former two-term mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee, and former two-term governor of Tennessee, reelected in 2014 with the largest victory margin of any gubernatorial election in Tennessee history. During his tenure, Tennessee became the fastest improving state in the country in K-12 education and the first state to provide free community college or technical school for all of its citizens, in addition to adding 475,000 net new jobs. Haslam serves on the boards of Teach for America and Young Life. In the fall of 2019, Haslam became a visiting professor of political science at Vanderbilt University. He and his wife of thirty-eight years, Crissy, have three children and nine grandchildren. In this episode, we discuss his time in office, lessons on leadership, and his new book Faithful Presence: The Promise and the Peril of Faith in the Public Square. 

Diana Nyad is an American author, journalist, motivational speaker, and long-distance swimmer. In the 1970s, she became known as the world's greatest long distance swimmer with her open-water achievements, including a record-breaking swim around Manhattan. In 2013, on her fifth attempt and at age 64, she became the first person to swim 111 miles from Cuba to Florida, facing deadly box jellyfish, sharks, and the fastest moving waters in the world in a grueling 2-day journey (53 hours straight). In her memoir, Find a Way, she shares this incredible story of perseverance, survival, and never giving up on your dreams. There are 16 million people who participate in open water swimming. There are only 12 people who have swam for 48 hours, but there is only one person who has gone 53 hours and 111 miles with lethal box jellyfish, sharks, and harsh elements, through the fastest and largest moving body of water in the world and made it to the other side. Diana's story isn't just about swimming, it's about the human spirit, perseverance, survival, and will power. 

Steve Joiner is the Dean of the College of Leadership and Public Service and Managing Director of the Institute for Conflict Management at Lipscomb University. Steve serves as Professor of Conflict Management. At Lipscomb, he teaches or has taught courses in Organizational Conflict, Conflict Systems Design, Religious Conflict and Negotiation. Steve is a respected consultant and trainer leading interventions and seminars nationally and internationally, including Brazil, Germany, Guatemala, Australia, Kenya, Canada and South Korea. He has lead seminars addressing managing difficulty in industry, health care, education, religious, public policy, for-profit, and not-for- profit settings. Over 250 business, governmental, not for profit and religious entities have engaged Joiner's services to address complex and difficult moments in their organizations. 

One of the true tests of any leader is how you respond and lead during a crisis.This is the topic we're unpacking today with crisis communication expert Ron Roberts. Ron is an excellent guide for public crisis and he provides some incredible wisdom and practical solutions.

What's the best way to respond to sudden or drastic change? For leaders, managing through change can be difficult and exhausting, but it can also provide an opportunity for growth. We're excited to share with you our newest episode of the podcast because it includes tactical ways for people to encounter and manage change. Elise Mitchell is a 3-time CEO and executive coach and along with her incredible personal story, she shares 5 questions you can ask to facilitate change successfully. 

Creativity and innovation are at the center of every successful business and thoughtful leadership team. But what do leaders have to get right in order to facilitate innovation at the workplace? What are the first steps? That's what we're discussing today with creativity and innovation expert, Rod Taylor. If you've ever struggled with innovating at your workplace or leading creative people through complex problems, don't miss this episode because Rod provides some practical steps on how to use creativity and innovation in your workplace today. 

Today on the podcast we have CEO, author, and all-time leading scorer in Vanderbilt basketball history, Shan Foster. Shan has accomplished a lot in his life, but his accomplishments pale in comparison to having the courage to share his story of overcoming trauma.

John Schroer, former Franklin Mayor and commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation, has seen his fair share of setbacks. In this episode, he shares the lessons he learned from filing one of the largest bankruptcies in Tennessee history.  Soon after this financial disaster, John had a conversation with God that changed his life. Out of that conversation, John identified six things he would focus on for the rest of his life. This moment triggered a chain of events that led him into a life of public service. 

"At the edge of uncomfortable is where you'll find greatness."This is one of Trent's mantras and it's what we're discussing on the podcast today.We'll also explore the importance of humility, seeking discomfort, and finding freedom to fail. If you've ever struggled with finding your identity in your work or in your success, don't miss this episode.

Super Bowl winning quarterback Trent Dilfer discusses his journey from the worst season in the NFL all the way to the top, and how one conversation with coach Tony Dungy changed the trajectory of his career forever.Whether you're a teacher, a coach, a CEO or a receptionist, we all encounter setbacks and disappointments. In part 1 of this 2-part conversation, Trent provides valuable insight on how to bounce back from those tough moments. 

What if the negative turns in your life have prepared you for something great? That's one of the questions we'll be exploring in today's episode and ultimately you'll find this theme threaded throughout upcoming episodes.In this episode, Dr. John Lowry shares personal stories of setback and the 3 lessons he took away from those moments. 

Some of the best kept secrets for life and leadership exist on the other side of failure. Join Dr. John Lowry every week as he uncovers these life-changing lessons and brings them to the light so you can unlock your potential faster. In each episode, you'll hear real stories from world-class leaders, athletes, artists, and historical figures––how successful people overcame setbacks and found the courage to get back up again and again.If you're a leader, CEO, aspiring leader, a life-long learner or just someone who wants to improve, do not miss this show because some of the best wisdom in life rises with us from the ashes of failure.Discover more at Failitforwardpodcast.com.