Should Mistakes Be Rewarded or Punished?

Mistakes happen every day. They are an inevitable part of being human in an imperfect world. However, our reactions to mistakes can vary greatly. In some situations, we may become angry or frustrated, while in others, we may be more forgiving and understanding. The way we respond to mistakes can be a reflection of our beliefs and philosophies about them.

For example, consider the scenario of driving behind a car that suddenly stops or makes an improper turn. Our immediate reaction may be to get angry or frustrated with the other driver. We may assume that they were careless or irresponsible. However, we could also choose to assume that the driver made an unintentional mistake and forgive them without frustration.

Similarly, if someone breaks something, our initial reaction may be to assume that the act was careless and get angry. However, we could choose to consider the act an accident that anyone could have made, including ourselves, and have compassion for the person.

So what is our philosophy on mistakes? Do we encourage people to pursue new ideas and approaches even though something might not work? Or do we limit people to only doing that which is certain? When someone makes a mistake, do we make sure they know it? Maybe even berate them as if they didn’t know they made a mistake already and need to be told they made one?

This article is developed using insights from Mike Hawkins, a renowned author, has won awards for his book Activating Your Ambition: A Guide to Coaching the Best Out of Yourself and Others. He is also the author of the SCOPE of Leadership six-book series, which focuses on coaching leaders to lead as coaches. In addition to his accomplishments as an author, Hawkins is the president of Alpine Link Corp, a boutique consulting firm that specializes in leadership development and sales performance improvement. His expertise and experience in the field of coaching and leadership development have established him as a sought-after expert in his field. Through his books and consulting work, Hawkins has helped countless individuals and organizations achieve their full potential and become successful leaders.

One philosophy on mistakes is that they are not always the same as failures. Failures are events that don’t achieve the desired outcome. Mistakes are flawed actions or wrong decisions made in the pursuit of an outcome. Innovation involves both mistakes and failures. Rarely do new ideas and methods work without issues. They generally involve continued tweaks and trials. If you want to embrace innovation and continuous improvement, embrace mistakes. In some cases, you might even reward mistakes to reinforce creativity over complacency.

Another philosophy is that anything short of perfection is not a mistake. Perfection might be desired, but it is generally impossible to achieve. Excellence is a more realistic goal. Regardless, most things don’t need to be perfect, so we shouldn’t expect perfection.

Low-stakes first-time unintentional mistakes made in an attempt to achieve something are generally okay. These might even be encouraged when the learning value of the mistake exceeds the cost. However, high-stakes first-time unintentional mistakes made in an attempt to achieve something might be okay, but might not be. When the risk is high, people need to exercise more care, ask for more help, and take more risk-mitigating measures. If you are the boss, parent, or responsible party, you also have a responsibility to see that risk-mitigating measures are in place.

Making the same mistake multiple times is not okay. Someone might legitimately have forgotten the lesson they learned before, but they are responsible for learning from their mistakes. If you are the boss, parent, or responsible party, you don’t own their mistake, but help them pull out the lesson learned so they get it right the next time.

When a mistake happens, it’s important to learn from it. We should try to understand what contributed to the mistake with as unbiased a perspective as possible. We should also understand our role in it and the change in mindset and behavior that is needed going forward.

In conclusion, mistakes are an inevitable part of being human. However, our reactions to mistakes can vary greatly and can be a reflection of our beliefs and philosophies about them. By embracing mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth, we can cultivate a culture of innovation, creativity, and continuous improvement.