Embracing the fear of "Being Wrong"

I first heard Sir Ken Robinson's iconic TED Talk on education and creativity in 2007. I had just graduated with my Mechanical Engineering degree and started my first job.

Everything inside me and my being till that point had programmed me either not to make mistakes or to do anything to avoid them.

But this one talk/ video changed everything!

Since then, I've discovered that every single mistake done and acknowledged could not only turn into an amber of Innovation, but it could also prove to be a pivotal turning point for you and your teams. And as #CorporateLeaders, it's our job to ensure that we create that safe space where people make mistakes and learn from them but never make the same mistake twice because the whole remit of Innovation sometimes rests on solutions that don't work.

Are you making sure that creativity isn't being stifled around you?

If you have yet to hear this incredible life-changing #TedTalk, dive right in OR read my excerpts below.

The Fear of Being Wrong

According to Robinson, children aren't afraid of being wrong. This ability to embrace mistakes is the crux of innovation and creativity. It allows them to explore, imagine, and, most importantly, attempt something they haven't done before. But something happens as they grow up. They are slowly educated into believing that mistakes are wrong and that they should aim for perfection.

The Organisational Paradox

In many modern organisations, the approach towards mistakes is similar. There's a strong culture of risk aversion. Sure, there are buzzwords like 'innovation' and 'disruption,' but the latitude to fail while pursuing them is often limited. The paradox here is apparent: you can only be genuinely innovative if willing to fail. If your people and leadership are always sugarcoating reality or brushing failures under the carpet, you will be in business for a while.

Creating a Safe Space for Mistakes

Creating a safe space for mistakes goes beyond mere acceptance of errors. It means creating an environment where mistakes are not stigmatised but are instead viewed as an essential part of the learning process. Here's why this is crucial:

Fostering Creativity

By acknowledging that mistakes are a natural part of the creative process, we encourage people to think outside the box. Just like Robinson argues that every child is an artist, every individual in an organisation has the potential to be a creative problem solver.

At least those who are willing to improve what they do on a day-to-day basis continuously. There will always be those who will do the bare minimum to make it from one paycheck to the other...

Accelerating Learning

The "Fail Fast" concept in software engineering applies to human learning, too. The quicker you make a mistake, the faster you learn from it. You iterate, make changes, and try again, careful never to make the same mistake twice.

Enabling Ownership

Allowing people to make mistakes will enable them to own their work, naturally enhancing motivation. When we let go of the fear of being wrong, we become more invested in finding the right solution.

The Need for Balance

However, fostering a culture that embraces mistakes does not mean creating a laissez-faire environment where anything goes. There should be a robust mechanism to learn from these mistakes and ensure they're not repeated.

In the real world, you will also discover and meet those willing to jump from one mistake to the other, forever brushing them under the rug with the moral compass of a toad, but such people don't last long. If they somehow get into Leadership Positions as, sadly, as they often do, the whole brand has to one day bear the brunt of exposure and corporate disasters.

Conclusion

Much like Robinson’s powerful argument for changing our view of education, I propose changing our organisational culture around mistakes and failure. Let us create educational and professional environments where people are encouraged to explore, innovate, and, yes, even fail.

But when we fail, and our people do, let's talk about it—an open and transparent conversation without petty self-interests.

Because when we remove the fear of failure, we unlock the full potential of human creativity and innovation. And remember, if you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original.