Amy Poehler: ‘Failure is a useful thing — to fail means to have leapt’

Actress, writer and entrepreneur Amy Poehler has spoken out about the importance of failure and risk-taking – and why being your authentic self is key to success.

Speaking at the Indeed Interactive conference in Austin, Texas, Poehler talked about how she worked in restaurants before she began working in the entertainment industry in the 1990s.

“I went in very optimistic and open minded and tried to stay that way as long as I could, which is difficult because there’s a lot of rejection,” she said. ”You really have to be that person who doesn’t buy a house, or have health insurance or really have any stability for a long time.”

“Failure is a useful thing. To fail means to have leapt, to have taken a chance. So I think taking the sting out of that word is really interesting because it means you have attempted to step out of your comfort zone often.

“Also you learn so much about the way people act and interact when things aren’t going well. Take it from me as a famous person,” Poehler joked. She added: “When things aren’t going well people show their true colours.”

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Poehler went on to address the importance of being authentic and how crucial it is to be able to be yourself in work, particularly for young people entering the workforce.

“Work is hard. It can be emotional,” she said. “You have to keep deciding who you are, and it can be a horrifying question. And now we’re living in a world where who you are online can be very different to who you are, and there’s a lot of distorted images.

“What you see is not what you get. Authenticity is rare - and it’s what young people crave.”

Although employers are beginning to recognise the benefits of individuality and self-expression in the workplace. According to research by the Harvard Business Review, focusing on the personal identity of new employees and allowing them to express themselves leads to greater employee retention.

Workers who feel able to embrace their own identities and be themselves are also more likely to be happier, more fulfilled and as a result, feel more satisfied with their jobs - which can improve productivity.

Earlier this year, researchers from several US universities found it is healthier and more productive to be yourself at work.

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