Remember the last time you made a mistake?
How did you feel in the moment? Perhaps you were embarrassed that others might notice. Or disappointed in yourself. Or fearful of the potential consequences.
What did you do when you found out? Perhaps you ignored it, hoping it would disappear. Or you quickly fixed it, trying to make sure that no one would notice. Or, you blamed someone else to avoid having to take responsibility. Whatever our response, our impulse is often to get that “hot potato” as far away as possible.
Now imagine that you work in an organization or on a team that encourages you to try new things and sometimes fall, helps you name and own your errors without shame, and supports you as you grow from those experiences. In that scenario, your reaction would likely be quite different, as would your colleagues’ responses.
That workplace can be much more than a fantasy. We can (and should!) create teams and organizations in which we can do all those things.
It starts with simple modeling:
Acknowledge your own mistakes, and take responsibility for repair.
On a personal level, when we are open and honest about our own errors and also commit to fixing them, we start to normalize that behavior. A client recently shared that after he sent an abrupt email to his whole team, he followed up with an apology and a pivot. While the team at first expressed surprise, they also noticed the behavior—and when he continued to name his own mistakes as they happened, others began to do so as well.
Reward people when they share their mistakes or ask for help.
When we thank colleagues for bringing forward their questions, uncertainties, and willingness to talk through failures, we send a message that this is the behavior we want. A coaching client has been consistently thanking team members who offer her feedback about missteps. As a result, more employees are sharing their perspectives, and she is using that information to strengthen how she interacts with the team.
Focus on learning across the organization.
When we notice a mistake, instead of defaulting to blame or frustration, we can commit to supporting each other in our growth, working together to find a solution, and even looking at how we might improve our systems to help reduce errors. A client mentioned that after a team member made a few mistakes, the team worked together to think through the root cause. They realized that their process was unclear; once they fixed that, the mistakes ceased.
Ultimately, no one wants to get stuck with a hot potato. And, if we commit to changing how we show up, react to others, and lead our teams, we can begin to shift our culture to one of encouragement, support, and positive accountability. Perhaps then our hot potatoes will turn into something we can hold comfortably and share openly.