Ex-Apple Executive Reframes Failure as Key to Success

What if the secret to success wasn't avoiding failure, but changing how we talk about it?

Courtnee LeClaire built a career at some of the world's most iconic brands. She launched the iPod and iPhone at Apple, led marketing at Disney and Intel, and served as CMO of the Oakland Raiders. But today, as an executive coach, she spends more time talking about her failures than her wins.

The reason is simple. LeClaire discovered that how we frame our setbacks determines whether we grow from them or get stuck in them.

She makes a powerful distinction between two words: failure and failing. "Failure is a complete sentence," LeClaire explained on the FOR THE CULTURE podcast. "It's done, so it becomes a title. I failed, so I'm a failure."

Failing, on the other hand, is an active sentence. There's always something that comes after it. "I'm failing, so I need to try a different approach" opens doors that "I'm a failure" slams shut.

This reframe transforms setbacks from identity statements into moments in time. One defines who we are. The other describes where we are right now.

Jazz legend Miles Davis once said you have to play a long time to play like yourself. Every master was once failing at their craft. The difference is they saw it as part of the process, not the end of the story.

Why This Inspires

The people we admire most often seem to have it all figured out. LeClaire's willingness to share her own struggles gives everyone else permission to be honest about theirs. When a woman who launched the iPhone admits she was "buffering" through moments of doubt, it reminds us that becoming our best selves is a process, not a destination.

We celebrate finished success stories on LinkedIn but rarely share the messy middle. Yet that middle part, where we're actively failing and learning, is where the real growth happens.

LeClaire now works as a chief "becoming" officer, helping other leaders navigate their own journeys. Her message is spreading because it answers a question many people secretly ask: "If I'm struggling, does that mean I'm not cut out for this?"

Her answer is clear: struggling means you're in the process of becoming. That's exactly where you need to be.

Imagine how many more people would pursue their dreams if they knew that failing was just part of learning to play like themselves.