What Mistakes are You Making?

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What Mistakes Are You Making? (3)

The Word for Today with Bob Gass

Tuesday, 5th January 2010

A sign in a high-pressure sales office brings a smile: 'Do you like to travel? Do you want to meet new friends? Do you want to free up your future? All this can be yours if you make one more mistake.' Fear of making mistakes keeps us from reaching our highest potential, from seeking honest counsel and feedback, and from speaking out lest we become criticised or abandoned.

To be successful you must give the people around you permission to push back. When you don't get input it can be disastrous. In It's Your Ship, Michael Abrashoff writes: 'The moment I heard about it [the tragic sinking of a Japanese fishing boat off Honolulu by the submarine USS Greenville], I was reminded that, as is often the case with accidents, someone senses possible danger but doesn't actually speak up. As the Greenville investigation unfolded, I read in a New York Times article that the submarine's crew 'respected the Commanding Officer too much to question his judgement.' If that's respect, then I want none of it. You need to have people that can tap you on your shoulder and say, 'Is this the best way?' or 'Slow down,' or 'Think about this,' or 'Is what we are doing worth killing or injuring somebody?'

History records countless incidents in which ship captains or organisation managers permitted a climate of intimidation to pervade the workplace, silencing subordinates whose warnings could have prevented disaster. Even when the reluctance to speak up stems from admiration for the Commanding Officer's skill and experience, a climate to question decisions must be created in order to foster double-checking.'

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