We learn from our mistakes: seriously
The ability to learn from mistakes as a key resource for a good manager
Learning to make mistakes and to learn from mistakes are essential tasks for everyone. It’s also true, above all in fact, for those with responsibility. Achieving this goal helps build a truly complete corporate culture that evolves, grows and develops. It’s not easy to learn how to make mistakes, however. Reading Gli errori del manager. Come evitarli e costruire una leadership consapevole (The manager’s mistakes: how to avoid them and build conscious leadership) by Andrea Lipparini, Massimo Franceschetti and Massimiliano Ghini (lecturers in HR issues in various capacities) is a good start in understanding how to “make good mistakes” and learn better.
The authors start from a consideration: what makes a manager great is not infallibility, but their attitude towards the mistakes made. In contrast to those who tend to avoid or minimise them, seeing only their negative aspects, a successful manager is determined to understand and make use of error as a crucial step in learning and growth.
In their book, Lipparini, Franceschetti and Ghini therefore guide readers to see mistakes as an opportunity to stimulate innovation, consolidate processes of change, develop psychological safety and perfect leadership skills.
The book starts from the foundations, from defining error, a positive definition provided that the value of error is appreciated. Making mistakes can therefore be an opportunity to learn, to change, to be more psychologically confident, to practise being a point of reference. Having established the definitions, the authors proceed to explore what happens when managers “don’t see”, “don’t hear” and “don’t speak”, that is, when the people that have to govern or direct don’t see error in their behaviour or decisions. The causes, consequences and corrections of defects in perception or behaviour are described for every aspect. It’s not theory alone, but also many concrete examples and practical suggestions that aid reflection and action on the main causes of personal error. Specifically: a perception deficit, which hinders a prompt, accurate understanding of different situations; an emotional deficit, which leads to an underestimation or denial of emotions, of both oneself and others; a communication deficit, related to a lack of clarity, respect and constructive criticism in interpersonal relationships. The conclusion highlights the benefits of a conscious state of mind, which prepares a manager for leadership through attention focused on events and people.
It’s a book to keep on the work table, perhaps with a few marks on the pages related to readers’ most frequent errors. The quote from Karl Popper at the beginning of the first chapter is also wonderful: “No one can avoid making mistakes: but the important thing is to learn from them.”
Gli errori del manager. Come evitarli e costruire una leadership consapevole
Andrea Lipparini, Massimo Franceschetti, Massimiliano Ghini
il Mulino, 2024
The ability to learn from mistakes as a key resource for a good manager
Learning to make mistakes and to learn from mistakes are essential tasks for everyone. It’s also true, above all in fact, for those with responsibility. Achieving this goal helps build a truly complete corporate culture that evolves, grows and develops. It’s not easy to learn how to make mistakes, however. Reading Gli errori del manager. Come evitarli e costruire una leadership consapevole (The manager’s mistakes: how to avoid them and build conscious leadership) by Andrea Lipparini, Massimo Franceschetti and Massimiliano Ghini (lecturers in HR issues in various capacities) is a good start in understanding how to “make good mistakes” and learn better.
The authors start from a consideration: what makes a manager great is not infallibility, but their attitude towards the mistakes made. In contrast to those who tend to avoid or minimise them, seeing only their negative aspects, a successful manager is determined to understand and make use of error as a crucial step in learning and growth.
In their book, Lipparini, Franceschetti and Ghini therefore guide readers to see mistakes as an opportunity to stimulate innovation, consolidate processes of change, develop psychological safety and perfect leadership skills.
The book starts from the foundations, from defining error, a positive definition provided that the value of error is appreciated. Making mistakes can therefore be an opportunity to learn, to change, to be more psychologically confident, to practise being a point of reference. Having established the definitions, the authors proceed to explore what happens when managers “don’t see”, “don’t hear” and “don’t speak”, that is, when the people that have to govern or direct don’t see error in their behaviour or decisions. The causes, consequences and corrections of defects in perception or behaviour are described for every aspect. It’s not theory alone, but also many concrete examples and practical suggestions that aid reflection and action on the main causes of personal error. Specifically: a perception deficit, which hinders a prompt, accurate understanding of different situations; an emotional deficit, which leads to an underestimation or denial of emotions, of both oneself and others; a communication deficit, related to a lack of clarity, respect and constructive criticism in interpersonal relationships. The conclusion highlights the benefits of a conscious state of mind, which prepares a manager for leadership through attention focused on events and people.
It’s a book to keep on the work table, perhaps with a few marks on the pages related to readers’ most frequent errors. The quote from Karl Popper at the beginning of the first chapter is also wonderful: “No one can avoid making mistakes: but the important thing is to learn from them.”
Gli errori del manager. Come evitarli e costruire una leadership consapevole
Andrea Lipparini, Massimo Franceschetti, Massimiliano Ghini
il Mulino, 2024