Friday, July 16, 2010

The Miracle of Making Mistakes and A Hierarchy of Failure

Vineet Nayar has a very insightful piece on the connection between making mistakes. learning, and innovation in the workplace. Does our fear of making mistakes stifle prevent growth and understanding?

"Do you have the nerve to encourage the mistakes that people will inevitably make on the path of discovery?" And can you share with your colleagues the knowledge of your own fits and starts?

Crucial to the learning process is the recognition that there are different kinds of mistakes (failures) with different consequences and significance. Seth Godin has created a a hierarchy of failure worth following, in which some failures should take place often (proposals, brainstorming), while others should never happen (keeping promises to your constituents).

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