KnowHR Blog - Latest Comments in Want Them to Learn Quickly? Let Them Make Mistakes

Re: Want Them to Learn Quickly? Let Them Make Mistakes

Frank Roche — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 14:00:42 -0000

Hi Tom, what you say is right on the money: You cannot be afraid to let people make mistakes. But that's a tough leadership lesson...I used to talk about Power, Permission and Protection to make management work. Protection is about making it a safe work environment to reach. And as you point out, making mistakes isn't the same as letting them fail. So true!

Re: Want Them to Learn Quickly? Let Them Make Mistakes

Tom Gimbel — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:09:15 -0000

In our company we hire many recruiters who don't have experience recruiting and teach them how. I firmly believe that in any leadership role you cannot be afraid to let people make mistakes. I agree with Wally and Frank on that. In fact, in building a business or a department, if you don't delegate and allow for failures you will always be held hostage by chores and never have a chance to lead.

Giving people the chance to make mistakes doesn't mean you let them fail. As long as a manager and employee have a positive, open relationship you will be able to work with them to fix the mistakes and build a stronger bond at the same time!

Re: Want Them to Learn Quickly? Let Them Make Mistakes

Frank Roche — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 15:46:06 -0000

Wally, that's even more to the point. Experience is a great teacher.

Re: Want Them to Learn Quickly? Let Them Make Mistakes

Wally Bock — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 14:55:13 -0000

Actually it's experience that's the great teacher. You try something. It works or it doesn't and you learn from that. The real issue is that you can't learn much if you don't try stuff.