Mistakes are human - but are they perceived as such?
Although the relevance of a positive error culture is undisputed, the fear of failure and the concealment of mistakes persist in many companies.
A recent study by EY reveals a remarkable paradox: more than half of managers consider a positive error culture to be essential for their company's innovation and competitiveness. Yet despite this realization, around two thirds of managers admit to not openly communicating their own mistakes (6). This raises the question: Why is a positive error culture so important, what does it look like and what role do managers play in it?
This article sheds light on the field of error culture and shows why it is a focus topic of many corporate strategies and why, despite its high relevance, it is often still lacking in implementation. In addition, we will analyze the role of managers in shaping such a culture and what steps they can take to create an environment in which mistakes are seen as learning opportunities.
A contribution from Lisa Rätze
From error to error culture
On the face of it, making a mistake means a negative deviation from the expected or desired result. Mistakes happen particularly often where people work: Be it in production or in management. Especially in meritocracies, values such as high motivation, discipline and good results are often incompatible with failure. Making a mistake fills most people with shame and the fear of potential mistakes is also a widespread and deeply rooted feeling (5).
How errors are dealt with in the corporate context determines the prevailing error culture. Various aspects play a role here:
What is the reaction to mistakes? Are mistakes blamed and punishments meted out or are they interpreted as an opportunity to learn and dealt with through constructive feedback?
Are mistakes communicated and if so, how? Can mistakes be addressed and discussed openly within the team or across teams? Or is there a climate of secrecy?
How willing is the company to take risks? Are employees encouraged to take risks and try out new ideas without fear of making mistakes?
Is there a learning-oriented attitude? Are mistakes perceived as an opportunity for improvement?
How do managers behave when someone in their team admits a mistake? Do they create an atmosphere of trust and give constructive feedback or do they sanction mistakes?
What values and goals does the company represent in its overall strategy? Does it regard mistakes as a natural part of progress?
This shows how complex a company's error culture is and how many adjustments need to be made in order to establish a positive error culture in the long term. Of course, before this can happen, it should be clear what a positive error culture should explicitly look like in the company, and this is where the ideal and reality often diverge (1).
Does positive error culture mean we should make as many mistakes as possible?
A positive error culture is a breeding ground for innovation. With this approach, a real trend has spread from Silicon Valley: Mistakes should be celebrated and promoted, because we need to fail quickly and a lot in order to be successful and innovative. Mark Zuckerberg explained to Harvard graduates in 2017 that "freedom to fail" is a core requirement for entrepreneurial success (4). However, this trend neglects the complexity of failure: employees can, for example, mess up an important project because they did a poor job. This fills them with shame and often leads to negative consequences for the entire team. In order to establish a truly positive culture of failure, it is therefore crucial to celebrate not only the failure itself, but also the learning processes that result from it. Organizations should prioritize creating an environment in which mistakes are seen as valuable learning opportunities.
It is not about making mistakes for the sake of making mistakes, but about drawing constructive conclusions from every failure. This can be encouraged, for example, through regular retrospectives in which teams come together to analyze failed projects and identify potential for improvement. Such practices help to minimize the fear of making mistakes and increase the intrinsic motivation of employees. By emphasizing the positive aspects of each failure - what was learned and how it helps the team move forward - the entire company can become more resilient and agile (3).
It is important that the management level itself acts as a role model and speaks openly about its own mistakes. This creates a climate of trust in which employees feel safe to take risks and be innovative without fear of negative consequences. Such a culture not only promotes the personal development of each individual, but also strengthens the company's competitiveness and adaptability in a rapidly changing world.
And again, it's all about role models
The most alarming thing about the EY study mentioned at the beginning is that it relates to the behavior of managers. The results are most impressive in the financial sector, where 82% of managers sweep their mistakes partially or completely under the carpet (6).
A positive error culture is largely determined by the behavior of managers. Their role as role models is crucial, as employees often imitate the behavior at the top. Managers who openly acknowledge their mistakes and react constructively to them promote an atmosphere in which learning and innovation can flourish. But how can this ideal be put into practice? This is where coaching comes into play, as an individual support measure.
Business coaching offers leaders a safe space to reflect on their attitudes and behaviors without the risk of negative impact on their status or career. An experienced coach works with managers to develop an honest self-assessment and shows how their behavior influences the error culture of their team. Through targeted feedback and the development of emotional intelligence, managers can learn to see their own and others' mistakes as an important resource for personal and corporate growth.
Furthermore, managers should develop practical strategies to promote an open and supportive error culture. This includes encouraging employees to report and discuss their own mistakes without fear of reprisals. Setting an example of transparency and a willingness to learn from mistakes creates a strong foundation for a culture that not only tolerates mistakes, but also sees them as an essential part of success (2).
A culture of learning: creating space for mistakes and innovation
In conclusion, it can be said that a positive error culture requires more than just a benevolent attitude - it must be actively shaped and lived. Our discussion emphasized that mistakes should be seen as an opportunity, discussed openly and learned from every misstep. This does not require mistakes to be celebrated publicly; instead, the focus should be on shared learning.
If you now feel that it's time to rethink the error culture in your company or you need support in implementing a more open error culture, don't hesitate to contact us. We look forward to accompanying you and your company on the path to a sustainable culture of innovation.
Sources:
BrĂĽckner, C. (2021). Quality management and error culture: Dealing profitably with errors. Carl Hanser. https://doi.org/10.3139/9783446469020
Diehl, A. (2021, January 19). Error culture - Why you don't have to celebrate mistakes. Digital reorganization. https://digitaleneuordnung.de/blog/fehlerkultur/
Erler, L. (n.d.). Making mistakes and falling soft. New narratives. Retrieved April 12, 2024, from https://www.neuenarrative.de/magazin/fehler-machen-und-scheit
Snibbe, K. (2017). Mark Zuckerberg's Commencement address at Harvard. In: The Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/05/mark-zuckerbergs-speech-as-written-for-harvards-class-of-2017/
Schramm, S. & WĂĽstenhagen, C. (2013). The art of failure. In: Zeit Online. https://www.zeit.de/zeit-wissen/2013/04/kunst-scheitern-fehler-machen/komplettansicht.
Taapken, N., Seckler, C., & Fischer, S. (2023). Error culture report 2023: This is the state of error culture in German companies. EY GmbH WirtschaftsprĂĽfungsgesellschaft.
