Denver Peak Academy

Take a moment and think about the last mistake you made.

Maybe it was this morning when your burrito ended up on your lap, or last night when you watched the Kardashians again, or maybe that time you thought the egg salad was definitely still fresh…

We tend to make mistakes on a nearly constant basis, and they all add up to tell the story of who we really are. Ever heard the saying “Well, I’m human after all”? Usually comes after making a mistake. (or when a robot becomes self-aware) Lol.

In the workplace, mistakes are the ding on your performance review. Or the angry phone call from a constituent to the Mayor’s office. We rarely view a mistake as something “human”. In fact we treat them quite the opposite, as though we’re a computer program that failed to perform it’s task correctly.

The idea of making a mistake is often paired with a very powerful emotion: Fear. When we fear something, we tend to avoid that thing at all costs. If we fear mistakes so much that they never happen, progress becomes stagnated and we stay in our comfort zone. This is not the most supportive environment for innovation to thrive in.

So, how can a mistake be made without the fear? Great question! PLAN FOR IT. Call it a pilot, beta, test, alternative method, whichever term makes you feel more comfortable. These planned mistakes will allow you to try something new without the fear of permanent change or failure.

Next time you encounter a great idea that causes a bit of “fear of making a mistake”, remember that mistake could be the next big innovation!

Contact your local Peak partner if you’d like some assistance with your next pilot project 🙂