Redefining Failure and Leadership: Ange’s Perspective
This blog is the second piece in our three-part series spotlighting each guest speaker from our “Female Leaders in Retail & Consumer Goods: Stories of Success, Failure, and Strategies to Bounce Back” event, offering unique insights into their inspiring journeys and perspectives on leadership. Read the first blog of the series, featuring “Insights from Alana Bennett on Career and Values Alignment.”
Angeline Achariya, CEO at Innovation Game Changers shared a deeply personal and eye-opening career story that redefined failure and authentic leadership, resonating deeply with the audience. With her trademark directness and humour, Ange’s reflections on resilience and human connection left a moving impact on all attendees.
Failure as a Steppingstone
Failure is a word that often carries unnecessary weight. Ange, however, flips the narrative. Recalling her experience leading a major innovation project at Fonterra that was ultimately delisted, she revealed how she reframed the “failure.”
“Yes, it was a failure,” she admitted candidly. “But it wasn’t a failure from what the business was able to do… at least we gave it a go.”
Rather than focusing on the outcome, Ange highlighted the courage, teamwork, and innovation that shaped the journey.
Ange notes that "the thing you don’t want to do is repeat the same thing because it means you haven’t learned.” This mindset was a key driver in overcoming this roadblock in her career; she learned from it and diverted her efforts in other ways to earn success
Learning from failure also features in a recent podcast, “Love Innovating-Again. Penelope Barr and Dr Angeline Achariya” where Ange shares her unique perspective on embracing innovation and the power of the process.
The Power of Authenticity and Feedback
For Ange, leadership is not about perfection but about showing up authentically and embracing the shadows leaders cast:
“Always be mindful of all the eyes and ears that are watching and listening,” she said. “The leadership shadow you cast is absolutely your responsibility."
Ange’s progression from manager to leader was shaped by painful but necessary feedback. Ange shared her experience with a challenging 360-degree review early in her career, recalling, “The feedback I got was terrible... I sat and just cried in my room.” Instead of letting it paralyse her, she transformed it into a turning point.
"Feedback is a gift, even when it surprises or stings." – Angeline Achariya
By adopting a “humans first” approach to leadership, Ange shifted from simply managing tasks to truly connecting with people. “What is this person’s story, and how do I become curious and inquisitive about that?” she asked. This mindset of curiosity and connection now defines her leadership style, as she is “so passionate about people” and the stories they carry.
Humans first leadership reflects the importance of genuineness and understanding others. This idea is explored in our blog Self-Compassion Trumps Self-Confidence, which highlights how self-compassion fosters genuine curiosity and deeper connections with those around us.
Look Beyond the Fishbowl
Ange also offered an important reminder for leaders: “Get out of the bubble.”:
“Don’t believe the fishbowl,” she advised. “Go and fish where the fish are.”
This poignant and impactful reminder reflects her ability to understand customers on a deeper level. Rather than relying on sanitised, surface level data, Ange champions direct engagement with end users. She immerses herself in the real-world experiences of customers which has nurtured her approach to innovation and ensured that her decisions are grounded and not fuelled by assumption.
Mindset is a Superpower
Ange emphasised the power of mindset and the stories we tell ourselves, drawing on frameworks like the ‘Change Curve’ to navigate adversity. The change curve outlines emotional stages that people experience during change:
1. Shock & Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
By identifying her place on the curve, Ange gains clarity and communicates her emotions more effectively. “I actually just clock where I am on the change curve... and I've used that as a language now,” Ange shared, noting how this awareness fosters clarity and constructive communication.
“It’s OK if you’re sitting in the trough, but don’t stay there too long,” she added, encouraging resilience and progress.
For Ange, it’s all about self-awareness and recognition: “It all starts with knowing yourself, knowing how you will respond and react.” By welcoming this understanding, leaders can shift from reacting impulsively to responding thoughtfully, aligning mindset, actions, and growth in even the toughest circumstances.
Redirection of Failure, Embracing Feedback, and Growth
Ange’s insights challenge us to rethink leadership, failure, and growth. By embracing feedback, reframing setbacks, and leading with authenticity, she has charted a path that is as inspiring as it is practical.
Her focus on consumer engagement, self-awareness, and curiosity offers a blueprint for leaders striving to create meaningful impact. Ange doesn’t just talk about growth, she embodies it, showing us that even failures can lead to powerful transformations when approached with courage and an open mind.
As Ange reminded us: “Find yourself first. Otherwise, you can’t be kind to others.”
This is a powerful lesson in both leadership and life that we can all carry forward.
Stay Connected
If you enjoyed this overview of Angeline’s uplifting story, there’s more to come!
Stay tuned for the final piece in this miniseries featuring insights and tangible advice from Jessica Low, the third panellist at our Female Leaders in Retail event.
In the meantime, visit the Sharp & Carter Retail & Consumer Goods landing page to connect with our expert consultants and explore how we can support your career or business in this space.
#sharpandcarter #womeninleadership #careergrowth
