Keep Up Appearances The right attitude can mean the difference between failure and success.

To gain exposure for his new dog product, Carl developed and launched a series of educational courses in partnership with a local pet store. Carl stayed optimistic throughout the process, implementing different marketing techniques and keeping the owner informed of his progress. Still, the program failed to attract the promised number of new customers.

When the program ended, Carl decided not to complain or blame anyone. He took responsibility for the outcome and made suggestions for future projects. To Carl's surprise, the owner was looking forward to working with him again. Carl's attention to detail, inspirational ideas and willingness to be held responsible made him a pleasure to partner with, and the owner believed their next venture would be successful.

Not even a small failure has the power to harm a solid reputation. Taking responsibility for your own actions and mistakes encourages people to trust you and work through challenges. People will remember how helpful your good temperament, disposition and personality were during the process.