As the country celebrates shooter Manu Bhaker, who has made history as the first Indian woman to win multiple medals at a single Olympic Games, we are reminded of her tearful early exit from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after a pistol malfunction. She was 18 then. “We all must make our peace with some situations, especially when it is no longer in our hands. We cannot change the past. What happened was unpleasant, but I had to find a way to move on with my life,” she had said. She did move on and how!
Lives and careers can derail for many reasons – injury, ill health, or a lapse of reason and judgment. Cricketers Nicholas Pooran and Rishabh Pant’s careers almost ended after serious car crashes, but both staged miraculous comebacks. Lawrence Rowe, who suffered an eye injury on a sub-standard cricket pitch, could not. Similarly, Charlie Sheen, the Golden Globe-winning American actor, was released from the hit TV show Two and a Half Men for alleged substance abuse and has struggled to regain his former level of success ever since. A momentary lapse of reason or misplaced youthful exuberance has caused severe reputational damage, including prison terms, to many. Some have recovered from this remarkably well, while many have folded up.There is a pattern to how people react when such woes befall them unexpectedly. It starts with initial disbelief. This cannot be true. It is not happening to me. Why me? Then comes a period of shame. How will my family and friends see me? I should not have let down myself and so many others. I have lost their trust followed by guilt. How could I end up doing this? I should have known the consequences. The risk was not worth taking. Perhaps this is retribution for my past acts. And finally, some do boss up, while others cannot recover. Those who boss up think: I may have fallen but will dust myself up and work hard. I will show the world what I am. I want to be a better me. I will lose only if I stop trying.
The attitude of those who boss up and embrace second chances
What is the attitude of those who boss up and embrace second chances? First is patience – circumstances, much less reputations, will not alter or mend overnight; these people keep pushing themselves, however uncertain the outcome. Second is their willingness to learn – they learn to leave the baggage of their past behind; are open to fresh starts and willing to learn from their failures. Thirdly, they take educated risks, that is, they are aware of the risks, consequences, and potential for success involved but are ready to take actions that can ensure positive outcomes. Lastly, they are mentally strong and instead of seething at the cards life dealt them, they develop new capabilities, look ahead and not back, and never let go of faith and hope.
Can leaders proactively create second chances?
If second chances make such a difference in people’s lives and careers, can leaders proactively create them? April is the Second Chance Month in the US, where lakhs of people successfully return to their communities from jail. There have been praiseworthy corporate best practices too. Richard Branson, co-founder of Virgin Group, explains, “We have a policy of giving ex-prisoners a second chance. Because we give them that trust, not one of them has ever re-offended.” Virgin’s data shows those offered a second chance had low recidivism and have outperformed others. Institutional efforts such as these work well.
But the question of when to give a second chance troubles most conscientious judges, teachers, and HR leaders. One way to decide is to reflect if it is a case for reformation or if a conspicuous example should be set through retribution. Reformation should be the default, retribution the exception. Meg Jay, author and clinical psychologist who specialises in young adult development, argues that second chances are most vital for adolescents and those in their 20s since their cognitive maturity is not fully developed and their decision-making abilities are as yet inferior.
Manu Bhaker, now 22 and remarkably mature for her age, credited her coach Jaspal Rana for her success. Reflecting on Tokyo, she said, “I believe if you cannot win something, you should take lessons from it. I do not think I would have been here if it were not for those lessons. I am glad I got those lessons at an early age.”The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or the positions of the organisation they represent.