Stop Protecting Start Correcting: 4 Reasons Unnecessary Mistakes Persist
Elbert Hubbard was wrong when he wrote, “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” The greatest mistake is the persistence of unnecessary mistakes.
4 reasons unnecessary mistakes persist:
#1. Lack of pain:
Unnecessary mistakes persist when we coddle rather than confront. Over-protection blocks pain. Consequences disrupt painful patterns.
You’re likely to do better next time if you focus on feeling bad after failure. Feeling bad leads to success. (Researchgate)
Learn from painful emotions:
- What feelings come up when you think of this failure?
- How do you think others felt?
#2. Failure to take responsibility:
Persistent bunglers are blamers. Blame shifting makes others responsible. Self-protection allows us to stay the same until the pain of stagnation outweighs the joy of blaming. We don’t correct our blunders when we feel someone else is responsible.
Challenge blame shifting:
- What part did you play in this failure?
- What are you learning about yourself as a result of this mistake?
- What would you do differently next time?
#3. Perceived knowledge:
We give ourselves credit for success and blame others for failure. Lack of learning promotes stupid patterns. “Right action is better than knowledge; but in order to do what is right, we must know what is right.” Charlemagne
Burst the illusion of perceived knowledge by explaining your goal and asking others how they would reach it.
#4. Insufficient feedback:
Timely feedback interrupts recurring mistakes. Sometimes people don’t realize they’re falling short.
Only 5% of employees believed that their managers provided candid feedback about their performance. (Mercer)
High performers desire constructive feedback.
Solution: Give corrective feedback and spend time developing new ways of doing things next time. Practice seeking feedback as well.
Napolean said, “Never interrupt your enemy while he’s making a mistake.” Stop treating people like enemies by allowing unnecessary mistakes.
Share your insights below:
Which of the above ideas about unnecessary mistakes seems most practical to you?
How can leaders avoid unnecessary mistakes?
Read on:
Feedback: Solving the Most Common Failure in Leadership
How to Burst the Illusion of Perceived Knowledge and Help People Grow
The Secret to Solving Problems
This is really good, thanks!
My pleasure, Michael.
“Never interrupt your enemy while he’s making a mistake.” I hear this in society (especially in politics), but I never knew where the quote came from. Excellent post – it’s so hard to hear about mistakes – especially small ones – I have a drive for perfection and sometimes that can get me down. But if trust and care have been established, then the constructive feedback is much easier to digest because you know they are just looking out for what is best for you and the organization.
Wonderful insight, Dream. Trust and care help us know that feedback is given for our advantage. Don’t hinder people who are trying to help you.
Dan,
This was a great article…I can relate to it in so many ways.
Thanks for sharing!
Excellent article Dan! So insightful; with great tips and food for thought for both leaders and individual contributors.
My pleasure, Jackie.
Thanks for the good word, Tina.
“A mistake repeated is a decision” — Paulo Coelho (Brazilian novelist)
As leaders, we need to understand why someone has decided to repeat the mistake. Sometimes it is on us, for failing to use the mistake as a teachable moment. And sometimes it on the other person, for failing to learn from the mistake. The former is the harder to swallow; the latter is harder to address.
Important insight, Jennifer. Love the Coelho quote. It’s surprising how frequently we make the same mistake over and over.
Sometimes it feels awkward to bring up someone’s mistake. However, a simple question should make it easier, “What will you do differently next time.
Poka-yoke the more you can mistake proof your process, the fewer mistakes will be made. (Color coding, checklists, simplification, sensors, etc.)
The problem is when people rely so much on the checklists that they stop thinking about what they are doing, which leads to more mistakes.
Interesting point, Jennifer. I wonder if repetitive tasks call for simple checklists. It’s harder when trying new things and doing new projects.
A checklist can be freeing, and it can be boring.
Systems can make a huge difference.