A Failure of Olympic Proportions

DAN & DAVE: THE OLYMPIC DUEL

In 1991 Reebok was entrenched in a battle with Nike for top spot in the athletic shoe market. Looking to gain an advantage, Reebok gambled on an ad campaign featuring decathletes Dan O'Brien and Dave Johnson — co-favorites to win a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.

Dan was trendy and hip; Dave was straight-laced and steady. Dave held a 3-to-2 edge in contests against Dan, while Dan had recorded the highest-ever point total in a decathlon. The athletes' good looks, dissimilar personalities, and tremendous talent made their rivalry the perfect fit for Reebok's marketing strategy.

During the 1992 Super Bowl, Reebok introduced Americans to Dan and Dave. The cleverly written commercials were a sensational hit, and, almost overnight, Dan and Dave were vaulted to celebrity status. Sensing the popularity of the TV spot, Reebok poured $30 million into its efforts to put Dan and Dave at the forefront of their brand's promotions.

From January through June, Dan and Dave were ubiquitous on television and in American pop culture. Anyone who cared anything at all about sports chose sides. Reebok executives patted themselves in the back (and padded their wallets) on account of their decision to market via Dan and Dave.

DAN & DAVE: THE EMBARRASING FAILURE

At the American Olympic Trails in June of 1992, the unthinkable happened. Dan O'Brien, gold medal favorite and marketing icon, failed to qualify for the Olympics!

Overestimating his ability in the pole vault, Dan set the bar too high — an epic blunder. On his first attempt, he missed. No worries though, he still had two more tries. On his second attempt, he didn't even come close. By his final attempt, Dan was so tight with pressure that he had no hope of clearing the bar. His Olympic dream was dashed, Reebok's ad campaign was trashed, and Dave Johnson headed to the Olympics alone.

DAN O'BRIEN: OLYMPIC CHAMPION

After the anguish and public humiliating of missing the Olympics, Dan could have given up his dream of winning Olympic gold. He was the laughingstock of the media, and he had missed a rare opportunity to compete on the world's greatest stage. However, Dan was a competitor, and he bounced back.

For four long years, Dan O'Brien funneled the emotions of his failure to fuel his resolve to make the 1996 Olympic Games. Rather than drowning out the memory of his mishap at the Olympic Trials, O'Brien repeatedly watched his botched attempts in the pole vault. Refusing to wallow in his setback, he learned from it, and he redoubled his training efforts.

At the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, O'Brien gained redemption and achieved his dream by capturing the gold medal in the decathlon.

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM FAILURE

"That failure set the path of my life for the next four years," Dan O'Brien said in reflection. "I learned more from it than I had learned the previous 30 years combined."

Dan O'Brien's Olympic journey is instructive on the nature of failure. Here are a few lessons from his experience:

1. Failure is inevitable

Everyone, even the most decorated Olympian, knows the taste of failure. We all lose, fall short, or miss the bar during life.

2. Failure is a fork in the road

When we fail, we have several paths in front of us.

• We can blame our failures on others.
• We can identify with our setbacks to the extent that we view ourselves as failures.
• We can ignore or deny our failure.
• OR, we can embrace failure, learn from it, and use it as a springboard to get better.

Our response dictates where we end up on the path of leadership.

3. Failure is fruitful

Failure is the surest path to success. It tests, strengthens, and refines us. Passing through it qualifies us to lead.