Sometimes the best way to learn something is to screw up. Unfortunately, there are few things that can get through a screw up with no consequence. Thankfully, there are plenty of things that can handle a screw up with some, but not significant, consequence.
I spend more time than should be needed looking over service orders at work. It is necessary because select individuals often have mistakes in their service orders. I have often wondered if there is any way to let some relatively minor mistake through that would have minimal consequence, but prove to be a good learning experience for the parties in question. This is hardly some petty and unprofessional attempt to get someone in trouble. It's a desperate attempt to get someone to do their job right. There are two problems with this tact. For starters, I can't stand for even minor mistakes. I too badly want professional perfection as it were. Besides, if a problem is not corrected as soon as possible, others may assume that the mistake is now some normal operating procedure. Secondly, people rarely change. Mistakes are the result of an underlying attitude issue that won't be changing anytime soon.
2 comments:
I have learned that you cannot even let the smallest of mistakes through. If it is truly a small issue, I approach the party who made the mistake as if it were some kind of oversight. Otherwise, I am most often in some sort of training mode; "Here is how to avoid this kind of error." Of course, some people do not want to hear any form of correction. In my opinion, life gets easier once you have hiring/firing authority. And always, always, always celebrate successes. Praise those doing things right.
Some people will never learn from their mistakes no matter what! Some will never admit they ever make any mistakes. Some will blame their mistakes on others or situations. Just make sure they don't screw up big time and bring you down. People who genuinely want to do a good job, when they realize their mistakes they will correct themselves without anyone pointing out to them.
Never allow a small mistake to escalade into a big one especially when one deals with safety issues.
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