Advantages of Sharing Mistakes in the Workplace

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺’𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵… 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲? Too many leaders create cultures where people are afraid to mess up. They think if we just prevent errors, success will follow automatically. But fear doesn’t fuel performance, it quietly paralyzes your team’s potential. I once led a team. We did things differently. At every All Hands, team members stood up, shared a recent mistake, explained what happened, and reflected on what they learned. Then came the applause. Not for the error, but for the courage, the honesty, and the willingness to grow in public. It built trust. It sparked momentum. It shaped a team unafraid to experiment, take risks, and stretch beyond their comfort zone. Mistakes happen. They’re not the problem. The real danger is a culture that hides them, fears them, or punishes them. But when your team sees mistakes as invitations to grow, they show up with more creativity, more ownership, and more bold innovation than you thought possible. If you're a leader, flip the fear: Start normalizing mistake-sharing, make it safe, respectful, and public. Frame errors as case studies, not career-enders. Celebrate the learning, not just the wins. And make one thing clear: repeated neglect isn’t okay, but learning is essential to thrive. The best leaders don’t fear mistakes. They build cultures where learning from mistakes becomes second nature and the foundation for everything great that follows. ♻️ 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄.   #LeadershipDevelopment #PsychologicalSafety #GrowthCulture #FearlessTeams    

Last week, my Gen Z staff texted me at 10:47pm. "I need to talk to you about something." My heart sank. In my experience, late-night conversations that start like this end with resignations. "I've been here 1 year," he said. "And I've noticed something about you." Here it comes, I thought. The criticism. The resignation. The— "You're the only boss I've had who admits when you're wrong." Wait, what? He continued: "Remember when you insisted on that new intake system? It failed spectacularly. But instead of blaming us, you called a meeting and said 'I messed up. Let's fix this together.'" That conversation changed how I think about leadership. Here's what I've learned running a 7-figure law firm with 15+ team members: → Vulnerability creates loyalty → Admitting mistakes builds trust → "I don't know" is a complete sentence → Your team already knows you're not perfect The old Jimmy would've pretended to have all the answers. Failed the bar 3 times? Hide it. B- grades? Never mention them. Spending $five figures/month on ads that aren't working? Keep quiet. But here's the thing: My team doesn't follow me because I'm perfect. They follow me because I'm real. Last month, I made a $20K mistake. Old me would've buried it. Instead, I called an all-hands meeting: "I screwed up. Here's what happened. Here's what we're doing to fix it. Here's how we'll prevent it next time." You know what happened? Three attorneys shared their own recent mistakes. We created a new review system together. Team morale went UP, not down. The most dangerous leaders are the ones who can't say these five words: "I don't know. Help me." Your team isn't looking for perfection. They're looking for humanity. P.S. That Gen Z staff who texted me late at night? He asked for more responsibility, not to quit. He's now our intake manager. P.P.S. To every leader pretending to have it all figured out: Your team knows. They're just waiting for you to admit it.

What did I do when a developer pushed a bug to production that cost us $200,000 in 30 minutes? Nothing. My team knows: no one gets fired for making a real, honest mistake. Mistakes are tuition. They're how people and companies get better. Over the years I’ve developed a simple framework to test whether a mistake is not just forgivable, but valuable: 1. Was it made in good faith? Not out of carelessness or apathy. 2. Was it a first-time mistake? First mistakes are part of the job. Repeating them is a different story. 3. Did you take ownership, learn from it, and make sure others did too? If the answer to all three is yes, then we just got smarter. Teams that fear mistakes don’t build great things, They play defense, They take the safe bet. And I don’t want that. That’s why we’ve built a culture where mistakes are surfaced, documented, shared, and used. Quarter after quarter, we improve because we carry forward the scars and wisdom of what didn’t work. Mistakes are inevitable, Learning from them is a choice.

The strongest leaders I know have one thing in common… They’re not afraid to say these three words: “I screwed up.” One of my bosses once stopped a high-stakes meeting cold with those exact words. No excuses. No deflection. Just: “I screwed up. Here’s what happened. Here’s how we’ll fix it.” In that moment, he didn’t lose the room. He earned its respect. We started bringing forward problems earlier. Solving them faster. Owning our work more fully. Because vulnerability…real, humble accountability… is a leadership multiplier. Here’s what it does: → It breaks down walls between “leadership” and “the team” → It gives others permission to own their mistakes, too → It shifts people from fear-based compliance to trust-based commitment The irony? Leaders who try to look bulletproof often come off as insecure. Want to lead like that? No! Try this instead: 1. Admit when you mess up. Accountability builds trust faster than perfection ever could. 2. Share what you’re learning… not just what you’ve mastered. 3. Ask real questions like: “What am I missing?” or “How could I have handled that better?” 4. Normalize “smart mistakes.” Teams that can discuss failure without fear are the ones that grow. The best teams I’ve worked with weren’t led by perfect people… They were led by real ones… honest ones. Psychological safety isn’t soft. It’s how high-performing teams are built. What would shift if you led with that kind of strength today? ⸻ Follow me (Jon Macaskill) for leadership insights, wellness tools, and real stories about humans being good humans. And yeah… feel free to repost if someone in your life needs to hear this. 📩 Subscribe to my newsletter here → https://lnkd.in/g9ZFxDJG You’ll get FREE access to my 21-Day Mindfulness & Meditation Course—packed with actionable tools to lead with clarity and resilience.

The secret to better hiring and selling? Embracing our blunders. I recently screwed up. You know that pit in your stomach when you realize you made a mistake. That was me 🙋🏻♀️ While my intentions were good, I moved too quickly, took action, and immediately knew something was "off." So what did I do? ... I asked myself why it happened ... I wrote down 2 things I'd do differently next time to avoid the same mistake ... I didn't wait to get busted ... I ate a big 'ol piece of humble 🥧 and proactively owned it ... I reached out (with sweaty palms and a nervous stomach) ... I didn't make excuses and apologized for what I did ... I asked for a conversation ... I thought of solutions to come to the conversation with ... I checked my ego ... I didn't get defensive And... We moved on better for it with a solution that works for both of us. Sure, it would've been easier to ignore it, hoping it wouldn't be a big deal. However, this would have caused a crack in our foundation over time. It wasn't worth it to ignore. But most importantly, it wasn't the right thing to do. Accountability + Real conversation + Giving each other the benefit of the doubt ____________________________________ Progress If we want our teams to be accountable, we must show them how. But why are we so afraid of mistakes? 1. We fear negative consequences like losing face, damaging relationships, or facing disciplinary action. 2. We don't feel accountable. 3. We believe that admitting a mistake will not lead to a solution. Thinking, "What's the point anyway?" The next time you or someone else makes a mistake: ditch the ego, assumptions, blame, and shame. As leaders or aspiring leaders, we set the stage. Every action, decision, and word spoken encourages or discourages those around us. Encourage a culture where admitting mistakes is seen as a step toward improvement, not punishment. Workshop the lessons learned, why they happened, and the measures to avoid repeating them. Your world will be better off for it. We all make mistakes. It's what we do in those moments that shapes what happens next. Accountability isn’t about blame—it's about better outcomes. Avenue Talent Partners | High-precision executive search for startups #startups #leadership #BuildWithATP

As leaders, when you make a mistake, is it better to admit you are at fault or prioritize your reputation? The answer is actually both. By admitting fault, you build stronger trust and respect. A few years back, I was coaching a sales team through what I thought was a rock-solid strategy. But as the quarter unfolded, the results just weren’t there. The team put in the effort, but my approach didn’t hit the mark. I could feel my ego creeping in—should I double down and push harder, or admit that my plan wasn’t working? I chose the latter. I called a meeting and simply said, “I was wrong.” That moment changed everything. By admitting my mistake: 1. The team rallied because it showed them that leadership is about owning missteps and being flexible. 2. It strengthened trust because my example of open communication built a culture of honesty. 3. We found a better solution by gathering everyone’s input. We ended up pivoting and turning the quarter around. As leaders, the need to be “right” can be overwhelming. But the true value lies in acknowledging when you’re not. It sets an example, encourages growth, and builds a foundation of trust that can push your team to new heights. 💡 Takeaways: • Admitting mistakes isn’t weakness, it’s leadership. • Ego limits growth. Openness fuels it. • Teams thrive in cultures of trust. And that starts with YOU. Have you ever had a moment where admitting a mistake led to a stronger outcome? Share your story below.. Hit the 🔔—> @Alex Wisch for more insight on #leadership, #Teamwork, and #mindset.

In our weekly team meetings a client company, we have a segment called 'Lessons Learned.' Here, team members share an error they made during the week and how they rectified it. This not only encourages 'Micro-Learning' but also builds a culture of openness and acceptance around making and learning from mistakes. This approach is a significant step towards creating a psychologically safe environment - a place low in interpersonal fear where everyone feels safe and encouraged to share ideas, feedback, questions, and vulnerabilities. When we embrace mistakes as opportunities for growth and learning, we foster an environment of 'Learner Safety.' By doing so, we are not only encouraging learning but also cultivating an environment where everyone feels valued, heard, and safe to contribute their perspectives. But this is just the beginning. We must also strive to create 'Contributor Safety' and 'Challenger Safety,' inviting contributions and encouraging challenging the status quo. Every small, proactive step—micro-behaviors or affirmations—leads us towards building a psychologically safe and inclusively rich team culture. How are you fostering a psychologically safe environment in your organization? What steps have you taken, or plan to take, to encourage learning, contributions, and challenges? #PsychologicalSafety #InclusiveCulture #Leadership #MicroLearning