Everybody makes mistakes, and everybody fails from time to time. What’s important is that we redeem those failures. What’s important is that we learn from them.
So let me ask you: Do your team members learn from their failures? Do you learn from yours?
Too often, the answer to these questions is no. That’s because many corporate cultures do not make it safe to fail. Failure is met with blame, if not outright shame — which means nobody feels comfortable taking risks and nobody is willing to own up to their errors and learn from them.
That’s no way to run a business. Smart leaders create environments in which employees can use their failures to get better. And that means shifting away from the blame game.
Does Your Culture Promote Blame?
Easier said than done, right? Well, not necessarily. You may have a culture of blame right now, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t steps you can take to improve things and create an environment where failure is safe.
Some tips for moving past a culture of blame:
- Provide your team with the room to problem solve. Give them training in identifying issues and strategically thinking through potential fixes.
- Be open to suggestions for possible improvements. Don’t…
