Mistakes - It's what we do before we do things better

We are taught to do things right the first time, every time.  Think about school, did you ever get praised for making a mistake?  Some work environments are like that, and then there is the environments where you can own up to your mistakes.  So, why would I write about mistakes?

Because this is often how new process comes about.  A mistake, and usually a serious one or a series of them, lead people to come and see us.  Oh, don't worry, you are not the first person in the world to make a mistake, or even the first to make this mistake (we'll trust statistics on that one... 6 billion people in the world would mean someone has made that mistake some where, at some time).  In fact, it was making a mistake that brought me to this business.  And I'll share that mistake down the track because it shaped who I am and why I do what I do.

But for now, it's enough to embrace mistakes.  Really own them and own the lessons from them.  They shape you like no "right answer the first time, every time" can.  This is real lessons that meant you have stepped away from how you've done things in the past.  And now you know, there is a process needed so that others can follow you in the new direction you can take your business, the place on the other side of the mistake.  

So, let's put the mistakes on the table.  This is a useful tool in creating process.  If you have the culture, you can go so much further by sitting down and listing real mistakes that have happened during the process or potential mistakes you could see coming around the corner.  You are not going to "fool-proof" your process, but you are going to get further because you can start building mechanisms in that will either remove the mistake from happening again or allow it to be double checked to pick-up mistakes.  Also, you'll notice a strange thing as you share mistakes, not only do people become more open if they can see others being open, you'll also see that a "negative" session quickly turns into positives.  

So, give it a try.  Start with "Even though I do this every week, I once buggered it up really badly by doing..."  "Can anyone else see how a mistake could happen?  Anyone else had a bad experience during this process?"  Start the 'bad' ball rolling and as people vent the issues and problems they start softening the blows themselves by bringing out positive aspects."  Tell me how it went.  How long did you take to get to the positive, to the lessons and good things from the mistake?