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As hard as you try, and perhaps deserve, things didn’t go to plan and you didn’t get the promotion you so desperately wanted. You applied in good faith, you did your research, and you prepared as thoroughly as you thought you needed to, but this time it wasn’t yours. 
You thought you knew how to measure success at work, and you thought you had it all figured out, but now you are back at your old desk in the same situation you have been in for a while. This is a tough situation to find yourself in and it is difficult to accept, but it happens to us all.
How to measure success at work now that this has happened can be tricky too. You might be asking yourself, how did this happen? What do I do now? Should I stay? Should I leave? What’s the best decision to make at this time? 
Worse still, you now have to face your team feeling deflated and maybe even embarrassed. So, what’s the best approach?

 Are You a Loser?

Of course you are not a loser. You got this far in your position, right? Your team respected you before you applied for the promotion, and they will afterwards especially if you behave in a reasonable and calm manner. If any of your team didn’t respect you before it’s not going to make much difference because they wouldn’t even if you had got it. Stop worrying about what others think as many of these notions of being a loser or not good enough are fabricated in our own minds.
Perhaps your team will admire your ‘get up and go’ attitude. Perhaps they will respect that you at least tried and put yourself out there. Perhaps they will even see that you aren’t going to give up, and can look up to you.
Now, don’t go rushing in to a team meeting straight after you found out you didn’t get the job. Instead, give yourself a little space before you meet with your team. This will allow you to feel and act more like a winner. Time, as they say, heals all wounds and it takes time to step up and conquer those feelings of disappointment and embarrassment.
Believe That the Better Person Got the Job
Once the rumour mill has been active for a while and everyone knows you didn’t get the promotion, someone is bound to come up to you and elicit a reaction regarding being screwed over. Whether they have your best interests at heart or theirs is questionable,

so it is best to be prepared.

You have worked for the company long enough to know that most of the time operations are conducted with the utmost integrity and professionalism. This has always been the way and can be seen from the way each department is organized. So, deep down you know that the better person got the job; it might take a few days for you to accept it, but it is true.
If you look at your ‘failure’ as a learning moment, and see it in a more positive light you might realize that your senior managers are actually ensuring that you remain on the best career path for you. Sure, you would have loved that promotion but what if there was something bigger and better waiting for you around the corner. How do you feel now? Realizing this and communicating it to your team members is a great way of dissolving any nasty rumours and shows your maturity and foresight.
Let your team know that your company is working to ensure that the right opportunities are given to the right people. 

On Reflection:

Give yourself some time to analyze what has happened. Clear your head and your heart of any negative emotions because they will only hold you back. 
Face your team in a positive, but honest way and ensure that everyone is a winner in this situation. Then, hopefully, you will all be able to carry on with business as usual, and start planning for the next promotion opportunity.
 

And always remember: 

Great managers are made. Not born.

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