Learning From Your Mistakes: A How-to Guide

Wouldn’t it be great if you never made any mistakes? If every one of your management decisions was spot on and you never chose the wrong path? Or how about if you always made the right decision when dealing with your employees? That would be great, wouldn’t it? Of course it would, but this is the real world. Mistakes are a part of life. But that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from them and use them to make yourself a better manager.

Here is a simple how-to guide to help you accept and even embrace mistakes you’ve made, learn from them, and become a better overall leader:

Step 1: Admit when you’ve made a mistake — You can’t learn from a mistake if you can’t admit that you made one. Don’t blame other people or distance yourself. Have the courage to speak up and admit you made a poor decision. It’s also good to apologize to anyone you may have inconvenienced or harmed with the mistake.

Step 2: Take steps to rectify the situation — Don’t waste time trying to explain why you made the mistake or by justifing it. Instead, take immediate steps to correct it. Many times the best way to handle a blunder is to get right to work on fixing it.

Step 3: Analyze why you made it — Mistakes occur for many reasons. Maybe you didn’t have enough information, maybe you were rushing, or maybe it was just an oversight. Whatever the reason, understand what caused you to make a mistake and you’ll be less likely to make the same mistake again.

Step 4: Learn how to avoid making similar mistakes in the future — Once you’ve determined what caused the mistake in the first place, take some time to think about how you can prevent similar problems in the future. Keep these in mind the next time you’re in a situation like this, and you’ll be on the right track in no time.

Step 5: Forgive yourself — Believe it or not, this is sometimes the hardest thing for people to do. If you’ve made a mistake, acknowledge it and fix it, but don’t get down on yourself. You’re too good at your job and you work too hard to let a mistake hang over your head.

Follow these five steps the next time you make an error, and you’ll find yourself making less mistakes in the future. And less mistakes and the accompanying greater wisdom will make you a better manager.

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Your Responses:

Like anyhting else mistakes are a thing of the past and I don't dwell on them. Move on and learn from them and appreciate the experience. No such thing as a mistake.. you either do it or you don't conciously or not. Life is a continous experiment requires a balance of caution and recklesness.. makes it enduring and worthwhile..
Posted by: Wen Cy
08/31/11 at 10:24 AM

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This is GREAT advice. It not only helps us grow as managers, but also increases morale with your subordinates. What better way to counsel someone who made a mistake than by admitting we all do it at one time or another. It's the learning part we really need to key on.
Posted by: Mike Kohler
08/07/11 at 10:21 AM

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in the past I would be too embaressed to ackknowledge my mistakes something I finally learnded that the best way to resolve errors is exactly as you described them something I practice daily.
Posted by: james wilson
08/05/11 at 12:19 PM

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Excellent feedback which provides practical tips for overcoming the occassional mishap.
Posted by: TJ
08/04/11 at 02:14 PM

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