The Oops! Factor

Can you recall an instance at work where you made a mistake, an error in judgment, a bad decision?  An "oh cripes!" moment that you would have liked to have had back again?  Perhaps it was a rash decision, a lapse in sound thinking, or simply poor planning that caused you to take a wrong step.  And if you were unlucky, that error was noticed far and wide.

You remember how you felt then, don't you?  You were likely embarrassed, surprised or even angry.  Certainly you felt awkward that you had messed up and that people had noticed.  To cap it off the wrong people had noticed, hadn't they? 

Bet you won't do that again!

Perhaps not, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't stick out your neck again.  Turtles don't make for good leaders.

Because when we make a mistake and learn from it, when we use a negative experience to help us prepare for the next opportunity, we grow as professionals - as individuals and as leaders.  That painful lesson will be more deeply embedded in our consciousness because of the fact that we did screw up, made a bad decision or used poor judgment.  It's human nature for us to remember our foibles, and because of that to hopefully not repeat where we had burned our fingers.

If we were risk adverse and played it safe throughout our career, if we avoided decisions, kept our head down, didn't stretch ourselves, we'd likely never fly high.  We'd also never be noticed by the higher ups and our career would never quite get us where we wanted to go.

No pain, no gain?

If you use your mistakes as a learning experience, what would you learn if you never make a mistake?  Your ego would swell with self-importance and what had been healthy self-confidence would've morphed into over-confidence.  You'd start reading your own press releases, and on that pathway lies a steep cliff followed by a fall.

I remember my father telling me, "at least try."  That's good advice for managers too.

So take a calculated risk.  Not a roll of the dice, but a decision or an action based on your knowledge and experience.  Use your professional judgment and put a stake in the ground.  Stand up for something.  Learn from the experience.  And if you stumble, pick yourself up again and get back in the fray.  Just don't make the same mistake twice.

While most companies talk about the advantages of risk taking, many don't walk the talk.  Instead, some organizations simply get rid of those who had the misfortune to make a mistake.  In that environment there's always someone trying to trip you up (passive resistance, nay-sayers, the overly critical, etc.), or to take advantage when you stumble (enter the political animal).  All of which sends a powerful message that risks are only entertained when in fact they aren't risks at all.

On the other hand, creativity and innovation are fostered in an environment that nurtures decision-making and encourages measured risks as a method of stretching oneself.  Instead of killing the risk-taker when they stumble such organizations seek to stretch the capabilities of their employees by encouraging them to do more than they thought themselves capable. 

It's only a risk if there's a chance of failure.  Employees who are not afraid of making decisions, of standing up for themselves, of taking a risk for the good of the organization - they should be valued, not criticized or penalized.

In an atmosphere free of threats and traps the leader can emerge and thrive - to the betterment of the company and the employees. 

Chuck Csizmar CCP is founder and Principal of CMC Compensation Group, providing global compensation consulting services to a wide variety of industries and non-profit organizations.  He is also associated with several HR Consulting firms as a contributing consultant.  Chuck is a broad based subject matter expert with a specialty in international and expatriate compensation.  He lives in Central Florida (near The Mouse) and enjoys growing fruit and managing (?) a brood of cats.

Creative Commons image courtesy of Leeks

Comments

[John A Bushfield]

Excellent article, and very timely. When interviewing for a mid-level/senior level position I didn't hire anyone who hasn't failed, professionally, at least once in their career. Having only experienced success they will certainly fail at some point, but I'd prefer that failure not occur on my watch.

[Korin Giordano]

I don't know what you are talking about. Mistakes? As the pace gets faster and we have less time to review and think through every aspect of an issue, mistakes do happen. But, if we can learn from the mistake and at least not make that same one again, more power to us!