On Making Mistakes - Leadership & Work
What connects chess, applied improv classes and high-performing Formula 1 teams?
In this post I describe two aspects of making mistakes; in the context of working through them alone and in a group.
Perception
What do you feel when admitting that you made a mistake?
A few years ago, two friends and I were at a conference. I took care of logistics and train tickets both ways. The conference went great, but on the return day something unexpected happened. When we arrived at the station, we found out that our train did not exist. The mystery was solved after checking the tickets - I had booked the wrong day, the day before it should have been (a typical off-by-one error for engineers). Thankfully, we had no problems getting another train, but since then I always use the help of other people to double-check dates when I am in charge of booking, or if no friendly human is available I triple-check everything while reading the dates out loud.
When admitting our mistakes we feel an array of negative feelings. I would like to change this. Mistakes allow us to learn something new and each mistake is an opportunity to learn.
The next time you do something stupid, try to laugh instead of swear. Try to detach yourself from what you have done and do not dwell on it - this will help change your perception.
Practice
To work on your perception of making mistakes, the game of chess is a great playground.
Chess is a game where the player that makes the fewest mistakes wins. I make many mistakes each game, and avoiding game-deciding blunders is the most important goal for beginners.
You can analyse your moves using a chess engine (today's engines are much stronger than any Grand Master). Chess engines point out all your mistakes without mercy, and during this post-game analysis you can improve your moves and learn in the process.
Chess is just one example, and we can adapt this approach to learning in various situations, like learning a new language. The key part is to be willing to make mistakes and, even more importantly, to learn from them.
In his book, Hidden Potential, Adam Grant points out that the best way to learn a new language is to relentlessly practise speaking it with other people as soon as you can. While beginners make countless mistakes doing this, it is the fastest way to learn. He gives examples of people who speak a number of languages fluently, and it is how they all learn new ones.
Improv
I took part in an applied improv workshop, which are defined as practical lessons from improvisation applied to work and life situations. One workshop session in particular was dedicated to making mistakes.
Creating an environment where it is okay to make mistakes is important for improvisation. It aids creativity and removes the doubt of whether we should say or do something. We can try anything, and it doesn’t matter if we make a mistake as we are not being judged, nor do we feel judged.
One of the exercises that we were doing at the workshop was dedicated to switching perspectives on making mistakes. We were in a circle playing a numbers game in which one by one we repeated an increasingly difficult sequence of numbers. The error rate was high - on average every third person made a mistake. To force a change of perception the rest of the group was supposed to cheer for the mistake.
The experience was great as after a few rounds the mistakes were no longer something shameful. They became neutral and something accepted by the group. Even though we made a lot of mistakes, the perception of them shifted in a positive way. The exercise removed the barriers for trying something new and helped with creativity.
I believe that this kind of support is important for any organisation that wants to benefit from innovation and creativity.
Culture
When the Mercedes F1 Team was winning the championship several years in a row, I heard an interview with the team principal, Toto Wolff, in which he mentioned that he starts every team meeting by talking about his own mistakes. This lowers the bar - if leaders can openly admit their own mistakes, then everyone can.
People are much more willing to admit mistakes if leaders set an example by doing so themselves.
By setting an example of being honest with your team about the mistakes you made, you foster a supportive culture that encourages experimentation, improvement, and a fearless approach to making mistakes. This positively enhances creativity and the sense of belonging and acceptance within a group. It is this kind of culture that helped the Mercedes F1 Team become successful.
Summary
Chess, applied improv classes, and high-performing Formula 1 teams helped me change my perception of making mistakes. I hope that after reading this, you will reconsider your own views on making mistakes.
Mistakes allow us to learn, and each error is an opportunity to do so. We can practise making mistakes in every field that is new to us. Successful teams and organisations understand how to benefit from failures. Instead of blaming each other and playing it safe, it is worth experimenting and making mistakes in the process.
Treat mistakes as an opportunity, not an issue to discard and forget. If you have made a mistake, congratulations! You have just learned something. I wish you many new learnings.
Thanks for reading!
Michał
I love that Improv class! Have a safe space to make mistakes is essential for innovation
Great example from Mercedes. I think the number one indicator for how common people in an organization admit mistakes, is how often the leaders of that organization do so.