Should we encourage mistakes on our team?

Guest post by: John Grubbs
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Are honest mistakes allowed on your team? Do people fear failing to the point that they become paralyzed at decision time? Are mistakes treated as opportunities for development?

John Maxwell, in his book Failing Forward, stated that honest mistakes shouldactually be encouraged, not just tolerated. Think of it this way...if people on your teamare not making mistakes regularly, whatare they doing?The unfortunate reality for most teams consists of people so afraid of failing that they opt to do nothing rather than taking a chance for success.

What exactly is an honest mistake? This question is often asked during my leadership training sessions. I answer the question with an example. If my son spills his milk at the dinner table, I really cannot get angry because I too will also eventually spill my milk. However, if my son is throwing his football at the dinner table and spills his milk, it is no longer an honest mistake. If we do something we know we shouldn't and a mistake results, we should focus on the undesired behavior rather than the end result. Make sense?

As leaders, we must learn to focus on the behavior first and the result second. This is very difficult in our myopic (pay-at-the-pump) culture of living for the now and not for the future.We live by a flawed corporate culture thatmortgages the very future of theorganizations we serve. This is driven by an insatiable need for short-term success like stock price and quarterly earning results.Great courses teach leaders at all levels to focus on key moments for development. The best leaders use honest mistakes as learning opportunities and create a culture of positive risk taking for the team. People are not afraid to fail as long as the attempt is honest and in the benefit of the organization.

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About the Author: John Grubbs

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John Grubbs, MBA, CSTM, RPIH, is the principal consultant and owner of GCI, a full service training and consulting firm in Longview, Texas. Specializations include executive coaching, human resource consulting, safety consulting, behavior-based safety implementation and leadership training for supervisors, managers and executives. Clients include healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, education and service organizations. John has over 15 years of leadership experience, published several books and articles and works with leaders at all levels to improve the performance of many well-known companies internationally. He holds degrees in Occupational Safety and Health, Industrial Technology and a Master of Business Administration with a focus on organizational leadership. John is an affiliate member of the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches. He is a Registered Professional Industrial Hygienist and a Certified Senior Technology Manager. John is a dynamic and energetic speaker as well as a popular trainer and business coach. Current memberships include the American Society of Safety Engineers, American Industrial Hygiene Association, National Association of Industrial Technology and the American College of Healthcare Executives.
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