?? A System Is Defined Not by Mistakes, but by Its Response to Them
Aleksei Groshenko
Executive & Leadership Coach & Consultant | Helping Leaders at All Levels Scale Their Impact, Influence & Career Growth | PCC ICF | MA in Org Psychology | 20+ Years Developing 18,000+ Employees & 5,000+ Managers
When an employee makes a mistake, it’s easy to point fingers. But in reality, mistakes don’t happen in isolation—they are signals of deeper issues within the system, leadership, and structure.
If your team member made a mistake, it’s not just their fault—it’s also a reflection of your leadership and the system you’ve built. A well-designed system anticipates human error, reduces risks, and provides the right conditions for success.
Let’s explore why mistakes happen and how to design better systems that prevent them.
Who Is Responsible for Mistakes?
???? The Employee
? They are responsible for following guidelines, developing skills, and taking ownership of their mistakes.
???? The Leader (You)
? You are responsible for creating an environment where mistakes are rare, but learning from them is encouraged.
? If mistakes repeat, it’s a leadership issue, not just an individual issue.
?? The System & Organization
? The system should minimize human error through clear processes, tools, and realistic expectations.
? If multiple people make the same mistake, the system is failing—not the individuals.
Example 1: A Missed Deadline
? Blame Approach:
? Systemic Approach:
?? Lesson for Leaders: If deadlines are repeatedly missed, it’s a system issue, not an individual issue. Improve workload distribution and clarify priorities.
Example 2: A Critical Mistake in a Report
? Blame Approach:
? Systemic Approach:
?? Lesson for Leaders: If one person made an error, others will make the same mistake unless you fix the system.
How to Build a System That Reduces Errors
1?? Analyze Mistakes as Systemic Signals
? Instead of asking, “Who made the mistake?”
? Ask, “What allowed this mistake to happen?”
2?? Fix the System, Not Just the Individual
?? If an employee fails, what process or support could have prevented it?
?? Create structured checkpoints, feedback loops, and automation to catch errors early.
3?? Shift from Blame to Continuous Improvement
? In strong organizations, leaders don’t punish mistakes—they redesign systems to make success easier.
? If a mistake happens once, fix the individual issue. If it happens again, fix the process.
Mistakes aren’t just employee failures—they are data points about the effectiveness of your leadership and systems. A great leader doesn’t just correct people—they design environments where mistakes are less likely to happen.
?? How does your team approach mistakes—blame or improvement? Let’s discuss in the comments! Need help? Book a free 20-minute consultation here!
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