The Power of Mistakes

Part 2, Building Engagement

In Part 1, I made the case for 2 ways that managers and leaders can help to establish the type of psychological safety needed to build organisational/team resilience and mitigate the risk of serious mistakes.

Leaders and managers can do this by sharing stories of their mistakes and errors over the years and taking the time to genuinely welcome questions about any workplace issue or project.

As a rule, versions of our professional histories recount only our success stories, but research suggests that sharing more rounded versions of our working life is more effective at building trust, resilience and connection within teams.

Genuinely inviting questions from colleagues (especially juniors) is critical to mitigating the risk of mistakes. As a junior lawyer, I spent a lot of time pretending to understand what was going on and this led to mistakes, anxiety and feelings of inadequacy. My turning point only came when I joined a workplace that encouraged questions and transparency. I still made mistakes, but I could admit them knowing that I'd get help to fix them from leaders. In turn, this environment cemented my trust and loyalty to my employer. In HR parlance, I became an engaged employee.

The Ripple Effect of Engagement

Engagement isn't just a buzzword; it reflects a positive employee mindset characterised by commitment, belonging and motivation. Research has shown time and time again that engaged employees are not only more productive but also treat clients and customers far better. In other words, strong employee engagement fuels positive client experiences and relationships - the lifeblood of most businesses.

Practical Steps for Leaders

How then can leaders create the type of working environment that builds or consolidates employee engagement?

* Emphasise Employee Voice: People want to feel seen and heard, not like cogs in the machine. Soliciting and where possible, acting on feedback boosts engagement.

* Normalise Questions: Create spaces where employees, especially juniors, feel safe asking questions.

In the final part of this The Power of Mistakes series, we'll look at how mistakes can, in the right conditions, drive organisational innovation and growth.