| Of course, mistakes are important. Two facts put | | | | William Smithburgdeclared, "There isn't one senior |
| those you make inperspective. One, everyone who | | | | manager in this company who hasn'tbeen associated |
| plays the game makes mistakes. Two,that you make | | | | with a product that failed, or some project that |
| mistakes is not nearly as important as what you do | | | | failed. |
| aboutthem. | | | | That includes me. It's like learning to ski. If you're not |
| That's hard to remember when you are wallowing in | | | | falling down,you're not learning." |
| the bed of regret,second-guessing and even being | | | | The next time you make a mistake, keep in mind the |
| eaten alive by fear that usually followson the heels of | | | | following nine stepsthat achievers take when they |
| a mistake. | | | | goof up. |
| Nevertheless, it is true. "The way you follow up on | | | | 1. Don't panic. Follow the admonition of the television |
| the errors you makehas a greater impact on the | | | | commercial, |
| future of your career than what you did ordidn't do | | | | "Never Let Them See You Sweat." |
| wrong," according to Ramon Greenwood, head of | | | | 2. Stop long enough to clear your head. Then act |
| | | | pronto. |
| It is worthwhile to restate the axiom that everyone | | | | 3. Get the facts so you can define the mistake. |
| who is out theremaking an effort to get things done | | | | 4. Answer these questions. What is the worst thing |
| makes mistakes. | | | | that can happen? |
| Carly Fiorini refused to delegate authority and tone | | | | The best outcome? Will the mistake really make any |
| down her style whileshe traipsed around the world | | | | difference oneweek, one year, five years later? |
| like a jet-set celebrity. She made themistake of | | | | 5. Report the mistake to the boss immediately. It is |
| defying her board of directors at Hewlett-Packard | | | | far better for you totell him about your mistake than |
| when theyasked her to change her ways and she | | | | to have it come from others. Help theboss keep it in |
| got booted out as CEO. | | | | perspective. A Confucian proverb advises, "Be |
| Kodak lost its market dominance when it failed to | | | | notashamed of mistakes and thus make them |
| anticipate the successof Polaroid. | | | | crimes." |
| On the other hand, Coca-Cola made a major | | | | Let the boss and your colleagues know you regret |
| miscalculation when itdecided the world needed a | | | | the error. Nothing islikely to infuriate your supervisor |
| new flavor of its favorite beverage. Whenthe market | | | | and colleagues more than yourappearing not to care |
| said, "You made a mistake" the company quickly | | | | when you make a mistake. |
| turned itsback on "New Coke." Ford Motor Company | | | | 6. Accept the responsibility for your mistakes. |
| pulled off a "Lulu" byproducing a dud, the Edsel | | | | 7. Feel the pain and mourn a little, but for only a little |
| automobile. It lost no time in dumping themistake | | | | while. You will feelbetter later. |
| when buyers turned thumbs down. | | | | 8. Perform a post-mortem. Look at the facts. How |
| So, mistakes are bound to occur, even among the | | | | can a repeatperformance be avoided? What did you |
| best of us. | | | | learn from the experience? |
| TURN MISTAKES INTO LEARNNG EXPERIENCES | | | | 9. Forget the mistake; give it a decent burial, but |
| "Smart careerists learn early in the race to capitalize | | | | remember the lessonslearned. |
| on mistakes byturning them into learning | | | | Remember, the only truly unforgivable mistake is to |
| experiences," says Greenwood. | | | | repeat a mistake. |
| When he was chairman of Quaker Oats Company, | | | | |