Last week while I was taking an evening walk, I heard a noise that sounded like a “thump”. Someone was backing out of their garage and did not see the other car directly behind them. The driver was a young lady – I’d say about 17. She immediately became hysterical and went into a panic. Soon, her father bolted out the house. When he saw what had happened, he began yelling and swearing at his daughter. “I didn’t see it…it was dark”, she cried. As I reflected on that event, it reminded me of how many golden moments of truth slip through our fingers.
Several years ago I was facilitating a class in leadership. We were talking about defining moments in our lives, and my favorite story was from a class member who shared an event from his toddler years. He accidentally knocked a full glass of milk off the table. Instead of his mother yelling at him, she said, “Well, it looks like we have a mess to clean up. Here’s a rag. We’ll have this cleaned up in no time”. The person relating this story talked about how important the event was in his life. From that day on, he knew how much he was loved, even when he made a mistake.
Here’s the reality: All of us will make mistakes – even if we are highly skilled and on the best team. What is important is how we respond to others when they make a mistake.
Have you ever worked in an environment where you were afraid to make a mistake? How did you perform in that environment? I’ll bet you had a tough time doing your best. Boiling it down:
1. We all make mistakes
2. When we make a mistake, we admit it
3. When others make a mistake, seize the moment to improve your team and strengthen trust with the person.
If you can do this, you team will be more winning, motivated, positive, and productive, and they will never forget you.
