Mistakes: Manage the moment and mine the learning

Mistakes. If you work long enough, you'll likely make one at some point, especially if you put yourself in positions requiring rapid learning and increasing authority and responsibility. Mistakes usually catch you by surprise, just when you think you've got things humming. Often it's unexpected and realizing you've made a mistake can be crushing. This is a pivotal moment to hold steady to manage the moment effectively.

Whether leading in the workplace or your own company, you've got to collect your wits to focus on immediate recovery and then lead the followthrough; not only minimize damage to your company, department and reputation but also mine the learning for valuable insights from the mistake.

Mining the learning from mistakes takes courage. To stay with it and not just fix the error but look for opportunities to improve systems, processes and your own skill set. It takes guts to seek input from your team, clients or colleagues, especially those impacted by your error and listen to understand their perspectives. By taking the initiative to go beyond what has to be done and commit to finding a better way forward, you not only expand your capabilities, you add more value to your team and the people you serve.