To err is human. As the old adage states, every one of us makes mistakes and it is a norm that is to be accepted and forgiven – partially true.
No doubt every one makes mistakes at one point of their lives or another. How many of these individuals have the room and capabilities to learn from the mistakes made? Better still, to learn from mistakes committed by those around you.
I do feel the urge to make mistakes. Call me a sucker. But this is how I’d learn much better, much faster and better my understanding on the bigger picture. Take away that freedom to make mistakes, and I’d be treading from cradle to grave, no ups nor downs, doing what I’m told to do without understanding the dynamics and wheels behind it. There would be no innovation, no invention, no adaptability, no growth, and no advancement.
Now, how boring can that be, being told to follow through the steps?
So, let us not fear making mistakes, but fear not learning from the mistakes committed by others and oneself.
July 26, 2008 at 12:38 am
I think it’s great to debate mistakes.
I also think there’s a major link between making mistakes and being innovative. Do you think that there’s a way in which organisations can make this explicit?
In the world of Health & Safety, ‘near misses’ are seen as really useful information which can help us improve things. Perhaps we need to create a culture around mistakes where they can be seen as a step on the way to improvement? What about having a supportive ‘Mistakes Policy’?
Would this help increase the number of people who could live out your own philosophy?
Url: http://catchthevision.wordpress.com
July 28, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Firstly, let me thank you for your comment and time.
Sadly, human being human. Most of us have been programmed to take the beaten road, where many others have. It’s a social norm that binds all humans to avoid making mistakes, and worse still, start pointing fingers and play the blame game when we’ve committed a mistake.
I also think that breaking out of this social norm will require tremendous effort, but it is not impossible. And what better place to start that off than within the company, with a supportive ‘Mistakes Policy’ as you’ve highlighted. That way, it’d be a small step to implementing this culture we share.
A mistake policy could be designed in such a way that employers clearly state that mistakes are not recorded if the employees could rectify it and learn from it. To do so, the company could come up with a mistake report form, where the gist of it would consists of:
1) what mistakes were committed
2) why was it committed
3) how was it committed
4) steps to counter it in the future (innovate solutions)
Also, having the motto of “To err is human, to learn is wisdom” included within the company’s culture or core values might help drill the mentality deeper within the employees’.
My 2 cents worth. Cheers!
July 29, 2008 at 12:41 am
Thanks Kazae, that’s great thinking.
Would you be ok with me putting it on my blog, (as a comment under mine on ‘Mistakes can be good’) attributing it to you of course? (By all means feel free to cut and paste your comment yourself but, if you’d rather not, I’d be happy to sort this.) It would be great to share the thinking around for others to see.
Best wishes
Url: http://catchthevision.wordpress.com