In my opinion this is quite a difficult concept for a Scot to accept and embrace. I think our innate modesty leads us to feel slightly embarrassed by success both for ourselves and for others, and our pride and the social stigma attached to it leads us to avoid failure at all costs and to hide from it.

It was Kipling in his inspirational poem “If” who exhorted us “to meet with both Triumph and Disaster, and to treat those two imposters just the same.” In our Saltire Programme here at Babson we are being encouraged not just to treat them both the same, but to embrace and celebrate them in equal measure, but what does that mean, I ask myself.

In terms of success, it must be to strive for it – to continue Kipling’s words – “to fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds of distance run, for yours is the world and all that’s in it”. We must target the world – global success – for any of our ventures and if we can achieve great things, then we must be properly proud of that achievement, and for those involved in that success at any level there must be a real sense of joy and contentment.

In terms of failure, we must understand what it is to fail. If you do not try something in the first place you cannot fail, and if you do fail at first, learn from the mistakes you will have made and the difficult situations you have found yourself in and try, try again. I think that is the essence of the message here – embrace any failure by taking good heed of the lessons you have learned and turn them to your advantage to refine you strategies and plans, and move your original venture forward again or start afresh with a new one.  As we discussed today, The Emergent Strategy – the Phoenix from the Ashes – can produce the most stunning success from the depths of failure.

I think of Shakespeare’s poem – “All the World’s a Stage” – and conclude in my own words – Life is not a Rehearsal, and for all of us on this programme the curtain is up, the scenery is in place and we must be ready to act, and be happy to both Celebrate Success and to Celebrate Failure.