Making Mistakes

As we near the final quarter of 2013, I wanted to reflect a little on how the year has gone so far for our organization, and what learnings we can grab hold of and use to our benefit. We've had some exciting high points, and we've had some challenging events…just as any company should expect in a 10 month period. But overall it’s clear that we've got a lot of good things moving forward, and each member of our company should take some pride in that. I for one am incredibly grateful for the team that we have, and the talent that each of them dispenses on a daily basis.

As I think about the last 10 months and one of the key messages I want my team to absorb, it would be “go make some mistakes.” Sounds a little strange, but the follow up I will add is “but make better mistakes tomorrow.”

I really mean this, and some of my team have heard me say this a few times in the past couple months. Go make some mistakes and learn from them. And tomorrow go make some more mistakes, but make sure they aren't the same ones that were made yesterday, then learn from those too.

 

Now, there’s an important caveat to this that must be clearly understood. We are a company of professionals, and we take our work seriously. As such, we have a responsibility to use our best judgement and not take actions that damage our clients or put our company in jeopardy. Assess risk properly, and explore possible avenues with your manager and peers before you take action. So let’s consider that box checked.

Mistakes made with proper thought, diligence and responsibility are opportunities for growth and improvement. They are discoveries, and they can bear incredible rewards if we actively learn from them. So don’t be afraid to explore your ideas and abilities. Collaborate with your teams and your managers. Think big, and follow this guide:

1. Learn from your mistakes: Recognize when you've made an honest mistake. Recognize what went wrong, and understand what choices or actions led to the mistake.

2. Own it: Take accountability. Excuses have no value. A common saying in the military is “The maximum effective range of an excuse is zero meters.” But an explanation…that’s an entirely different game. Acknowledge the mistake, discuss it with your manager and your peers, and together understand the causes.

3. Fix it: Do what it takes to make it right. Communicate with anyone impacted to ensure that everyone understands the urgency and care with which the problem is being resolved.

4. Put in safeguards: This is where “make better mistakes tomorrow” comes in. Mistakes today are opportunities. The same mistake tomorrow is negligence. Figure out what actions or processes can be put in place to ensure the same mistake doesn't occur twice, by you or by anyone. Own it, fix it, and communicate it…as a team.

It’s important that each person in your organization feels empowered to learn, to improve, and to be a significant contributor to your company. Together, making good mistakes today and making better ones tomorrow, you will benefit and truly enjoy working at the great company that you've worked so hard to build.