Tag: Mistakes

Mistakes, Learning, and Leadership in Lean

Mistakes are inevitable—but how leaders and organizations respond to them determines whether they improve or repeat the same failures. These posts explore mistakes through a Lean lens: system design vs. “human error,” psychological safety, learning cultures, and leadership behaviors that turn errors into improvement rather than blame.

Drawing from healthcare, manufacturing, aviation, sports, and everyday work, this archive focuses less on who failed—and more on what the system made possible.

Mistakes are inevitable; learning is not. These posts align with ideas I expanded on in The Mistakes That Make Us, which examines how leaders, cultures, and systems determine whether errors become liabilities—or catalysts for improvement.

Cultivating Psychological Safety: How Leaders Can Encourage Openness About Mistakes

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TL;DR: Psychological safety isn't created by slogans--it's created by leader behavior. When leaders respond to mistakes with curiosity, empathy, and support instead of punishment,...

From Failure to Foresight: The Shingo Institute’s Ken Snyder’s Favorite Mistake

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In this week's episode of "My Favorite Mistake," we're lucky to have Ken Snyder, a celebrated figure in the realm of business and academia...

From Punishment to Improvement: Transforming Workplace Culture

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Leaders and organizations have a choice: 1) cultivate a culture of fear and punishment or 2) a culture of learning and innovation. That choice...

Embracing a New Paradigm: Cultivating a Healthcare Culture of Help Instead...

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tl;dr: In this post, Mark delves into the detrimental effects of a punitive culture within healthcare, arguing for a shift towards a culture of...

Healthcare Excellence Requires Problem-Solving and Psychological Safety

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TL;DR: Healthcare excellence depends on psychological safety and strong problem-solving. When clinicians and staff feel safe to speak up about mistakes and risks, organizations...

Instead of Erasing Mistakes, Learn From Them

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OK, so the gag gift giant eraser is kind of corny. When we make mistakes in life, we can't erase them. But we CAN...

A Roundup of Articles and Interviews on Learning from Mistakes: Sept...

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Here's the latest roundup of blog posts, articles, and interviews / videos related to learning from mistakes and my book The Mistakes That Make...

You Don’t Have to Punish Mistakes — Choose Learning and Improvement

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tl;dr: In this post, Mark argues against the conventional punitive approach to mistakes in organizations, advocating for a culture that prioritizes learning and improvement....

Different Types of Mistakes – Those That Are Preventable & Those...

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tl;dr: In this post, Mark categorizes mistakes into two main types: those that are preventable and those that spur innovation. He elucidates how recognizing...

A Roundup of Recent Blog Posts and Podcasts About Mistakes: August...

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Again, l've been writing some blog posts on my new book's website -- mistakesbook.com/blog. I'm still blogging here, but you might find some of these posts...

When Life Tests You: My Attempt to Donate a Couch Was...

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tl;dr: In this post, Mark recounts his frustrating experience attempting to donate a couch, only to be stymied by bureaucratic obstacles. Using this personal...

When Firing an Employee Doesn’t Fix the Problem: Preventing Repeat Mistakes...

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tl;dr: Firing someone after a mistake doesn't prevent recurrence. The next person will make the same error unless you improve the process with mistake-proofing,...
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