Talk about mistakes openly

To err is human.?Alexander Pope’s phrase from 1711 was true then, is true now and will, forever, be true.?People are fallible and make mistaks.??

As true as that may be, not many of us like to admit to them.?The notion that ‘fessing up to a mistake does not always sit well.?It can feel like putting on a giant dunce cap; parading our incompetence.?This is especially true in the current working climate, where the pressure to perform optimally seems like the only way to avoid being assigned to the desk next to the exit.?It’s tough out there, no point sugar coating it, and throwing your hand up to bring attention to your mis-steps is counter-intuitive.?But if a ball is dropped, be prepared to accept that you might be the source of the mistake, or at least part of it.

Mistakes happen.?And each offers an important opportunity to apply critical and constructive thought.?

The worst mistake is the one that goes unseen or unspoken about because the culture of the business is to react negatively when mistakes are uncovered. As a leader, you can shift this culture very quickly by openly discussing past or even current mistakes. If the conversation then moves on to solutions found, holes plugged or ideas found, the inevitable mistakes that occur in future will have a productive outcome rather than a negative one.?

So how do we follow a ‘mistake’ process:

? Recognise an error has occurred – sometimes the error is revealed to us, sometimes we discover it by ourselves.?This is not a time to look away; accept a mistake has occurred and tackle it head on.

? Establish the cause of the error – how did this happen??Is it a typo??A computer glitch??A training need in staff??Was it you??Could it have been avoided?

? Assess the people and processes – if the mistake is the result of standard practices and processes, then these need to be addressed and amended to mitigate against repeats.?Make sure the right people are doing the right jobs with the appropriate tools.??

? Correct the issues.?Easier said than done.?Understanding the hard and soft processes that have led to an error requires investment.?Without that investment though, do you risk more, possibly expensive mistakes to occur?

? Train others.?The causes of mistakes and being able to create an environment that allows for corrective actions to take place are necessary to improve quality of work.?But enabling others, who can learn from your experiences, will help create an attitude of mutual support and a sense of team.??

Challenge your teams to innovate on the back of mistakes.?