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The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation
We all make mistakes. What matters is learning from them, as individuals, teams, and organizations. This book shows you how. The Mistakes That Make Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation is an engaging, inspiring, and practical book by Mark Graban that presents an alternative approach to mistakes. Rather than punishing individuals for human error and bad decisions, Graban encourages us to embrace and learn from them, fostering a culture of learning and innovation. Sharing stories and insights from his popular podcast, “My Favorite Mistake,” along with his own work and career experiences, Graban shows how leaders can cultivate a culture of learning from mistakes. Including examples from manufacturing, healthcare, software, and two whiskey distillers, the book explores how organizations of all sizes and industries can benefit from this approach. In the book, you'll find practical guidance on adopting a positive mindset towards mistakes. It teaches you to acknowledge and appreciate them and take necessary measures to avoid them while gaining knowledge from the ones that occur. Additionally, it emphasizes creating a safe environment to express mistakes and encourages responding constructively by emphasizing learning over punishment. Developing a culture of learning from mistakes through psychological safety is essential in effective leadership and organizational success. Leaders must lead by example and demonstrate kindness to themselves and others by accepting their own blunders instead of solely pushing for more courage from their team. This approach, as Graban highlights, fosters a positive and productive work environment. The Mistakes That Make Us is a must-read for anyone looking to create a stronger organization that produces better results, including lower turnover, more improvement and innovation, and better bottom-line performance. Whether a startup founder or an aspiring leader in a larger company, this book will inspire you to lead with kindness and humility and show you how mistakes can make things right. Chapter Think Positively Chapter Admit Mistakes Chapter Be Kind Chapter Prevent Mistakes Chapter Help Everyone to Speak Up Chapter Choose Improvement, Not Punishment Chapter Iterate Your Way to Success Chapter Cultivate Forever Afterword End Notes List of Podcast Guests Mentioned in the Book
224 pages, Paperback
Published June 30, 2023
20 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Mark Graban
26 books37 followersMark Graban is a consultant, author, keynote speaker, and blogger in the world of “Lean Healthcare.” In June 2011, Mark joined the software company KaiNexus as their “Chief Improvement Officer,” to help further their mission of “making improvement easier” in healthcare organizations, while continuing his other consulting and speaking activities.
He is the author of the book Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Engagement (Productivity Press), which was selected for a 2009 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award and is being translated into seven languages. A 2nd revised edition was released in November, 2011. Mark has also co-authored a new book, titled “Healthcare Kaizen: Engaging Front-Line Staff in Sustainable Continuous Improvements,” released in June 2012. He is the founder and lead blogger and podcaster at LeanBlog.org, started in January 2005.
Mark earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University as well as an MS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the MIT Sloan Leaders for Global Operations Program (previously known as Leaders for Manufacturing). Mark has worked in automotive (General Motors), the PC industry (Dell), and industrial products (Honeywell). At Honeywell, Mark was certified as a “Lean Expert” (Lean Black Belt).
Since August 2005, Mark has worked exclusively in healthcare, where he has coached lean teams at client sites in North America and the United Kingdom, including medical laboratories, hospitals, and primary care clinics. From 2005 to 2009, Mark was a senior consultant with ValuMetrix Services, a division of Johnson & Johnson and he currently consults independently and in conjunction with the firm Lean Pathways.
Mark’s motivation is to apply Lean and Toyota Production System principles to improve quality of care and patient safety, to improve the customer/patient experience, to help the development of medical professionals and employees, and to help build strong organizations for the long term.
From June 2009 to June 2011, Mark was a Senior Fellow with the Lean Enterprise Institute, a not-for-profit educational organization that is a leading voice in the Lean world. Mark served as the LEI’s “Chief Engineer” for healthcare activities, including workshops, web & social media, and other publications. Mark also served as the Director of Communication & Technology for the Healthcare Value Network, a collaboration of healthcare organizations from across North America, a partnership between LEI and the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value. Mark continues as an LEI faculty member.
Mark is a popular speaker at conferences and private healthcare meetings. He has guest lectured at schools including MIT and Wharton and has served as a faculty member for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. He has been quoted and interviewed in many publications, including Health Affairs and the New York Times.
Mark and his wife live in San Antonio, Texas.
See: http://www.markgraban.com/about-mark-...
He is the author of the book Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Engagement (Productivity Press), which was selected for a 2009 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award and is being translated into seven languages. A 2nd revised edition was released in November, 2011. Mark has also co-authored a new book, titled “Healthcare Kaizen: Engaging Front-Line Staff in Sustainable Continuous Improvements,” released in June 2012. He is the founder and lead blogger and podcaster at LeanBlog.org, started in January 2005.
Mark earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University as well as an MS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the MIT Sloan Leaders for Global Operations Program (previously known as Leaders for Manufacturing). Mark has worked in automotive (General Motors), the PC industry (Dell), and industrial products (Honeywell). At Honeywell, Mark was certified as a “Lean Expert” (Lean Black Belt).
Since August 2005, Mark has worked exclusively in healthcare, where he has coached lean teams at client sites in North America and the United Kingdom, including medical laboratories, hospitals, and primary care clinics. From 2005 to 2009, Mark was a senior consultant with ValuMetrix Services, a division of Johnson & Johnson and he currently consults independently and in conjunction with the firm Lean Pathways.
Mark’s motivation is to apply Lean and Toyota Production System principles to improve quality of care and patient safety, to improve the customer/patient experience, to help the development of medical professionals and employees, and to help build strong organizations for the long term.
From June 2009 to June 2011, Mark was a Senior Fellow with the Lean Enterprise Institute, a not-for-profit educational organization that is a leading voice in the Lean world. Mark served as the LEI’s “Chief Engineer” for healthcare activities, including workshops, web & social media, and other publications. Mark also served as the Director of Communication & Technology for the Healthcare Value Network, a collaboration of healthcare organizations from across North America, a partnership between LEI and the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value. Mark continues as an LEI faculty member.
Mark is a popular speaker at conferences and private healthcare meetings. He has guest lectured at schools including MIT and Wharton and has served as a faculty member for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. He has been quoted and interviewed in many publications, including Health Affairs and the New York Times.
Mark and his wife live in San Antonio, Texas.
See: http://www.markgraban.com/about-mark-...
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 13, 2024
I have been following this author and the resources he has provided to my profession for a very long time. When he introduced he had an audiobook based on his podcast (My Favorite Mistake), I knew it was going to be on my must-read list.
Listening to his podcast and now his book, I think about some of my biggest mistakes and what I have learned from them. From "telling" a union steward they WILL practice 5s to taking a role simply because it paid more I have found that learning is key to not repeating.
Every mistake is unique so a book on how to fix mistakes isn't practical. What the author has done is that he has comprised a summary of what his podcast guests have put together about how to grow from mistakes. He has organized them into 7 lessons. Each lesson overlaps and feeds into the next lesson.
Lesson 1 - Admit mistakes quickly and honestly. Coach, don't punish, those who report mistakes and use the knowledge you've gained to coach others so a mistake isn't repeated.
Lesson 2 - Be kind. Not the same as nice, kindness is less about forgiving and more about using mistakes as learning opportunities.
Lesson 3 - Prevent mistakes. As a lean student poke yoke is always in my mind. Once you learn use systems to prevent mistakes from reoccurring.
Lesson 4 - Help everyone speak up. This requires a culture change. But this really starts with those you lead.
Lesson 5 - Improve don't punish. Hiding rather than learning from mistakes out of fear is one of the biggest mistakes.
Lesson 6 - Iteration. In order to innovate and create something new you must iterate to see what works and doesn't work. Reminds me of the practice of coaching kata.
Lesson 7 - Cultivate forever. Don't try to emulate someone else. Use your desire to learn and coach up and down to drive through the organization.
In general, this was a great book and I wish a younger, less wise, me had read it when I started learning about leadership. Although with my style of leadership, I practice most of these lessons, when I'm in the heat of battle and feeling pressure, I can easily let my guard down and slip back. That is a mistake.
Listening to his podcast and now his book, I think about some of my biggest mistakes and what I have learned from them. From "telling" a union steward they WILL practice 5s to taking a role simply because it paid more I have found that learning is key to not repeating.
Every mistake is unique so a book on how to fix mistakes isn't practical. What the author has done is that he has comprised a summary of what his podcast guests have put together about how to grow from mistakes. He has organized them into 7 lessons. Each lesson overlaps and feeds into the next lesson.
Lesson 1 - Admit mistakes quickly and honestly. Coach, don't punish, those who report mistakes and use the knowledge you've gained to coach others so a mistake isn't repeated.
Lesson 2 - Be kind. Not the same as nice, kindness is less about forgiving and more about using mistakes as learning opportunities.
Lesson 3 - Prevent mistakes. As a lean student poke yoke is always in my mind. Once you learn use systems to prevent mistakes from reoccurring.
Lesson 4 - Help everyone speak up. This requires a culture change. But this really starts with those you lead.
Lesson 5 - Improve don't punish. Hiding rather than learning from mistakes out of fear is one of the biggest mistakes.
Lesson 6 - Iteration. In order to innovate and create something new you must iterate to see what works and doesn't work. Reminds me of the practice of coaching kata.
Lesson 7 - Cultivate forever. Don't try to emulate someone else. Use your desire to learn and coach up and down to drive through the organization.
In general, this was a great book and I wish a younger, less wise, me had read it when I started learning about leadership. Although with my style of leadership, I practice most of these lessons, when I'm in the heat of battle and feeling pressure, I can easily let my guard down and slip back. That is a mistake.
December 19, 2023
Making mistakes is an inevitable part of human life. We all make them. Dwelling on a mistake tends to be counterproductive. It is how we learn from these mistakes that matters. The way leaders handle human error in the workplace may have a positive or negative impact on the overall culture of the firm. There is finally a book that addresses this human experience and how to transform this to generate success and promote positive change individually and collectively.
“The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation” is a well-grounded compendium written by Mark Graban. An internationally recognized consultant, author, speaker, and entrepreneur, he invites us into an approach to reacting to mistakes, suggesting the value of building a culture of learning from errors and bad decisions both on a personal level and in the capacity of a leader in the corporate world.
Drawing on research in psychology as well as experiential evidence, the author highlights the need for leaders to develop a growth mindset and cherish mistakes as gifts that can drive organizational improvement by encouraging creativity, innovation, and personal growth. He does not stop there but goes ahead to address the inept effect of concealing mistakes that inevitably lead to stagnated self-improvement. The author uses real-world stories to provide his audience with cogent tips for creating conditions that eliminate mistrust and instead foster great performance.
Eloquently written and organized like an accessible game plan, “The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation” avoids unnecessary clichés unlike other books of its genre, that are likely to mar its prose. Mr. Graban invites us to use the book as we wish, for personal development and organizational growth, or even both. He reminds us that the most powerful question we can ask after a mistake is what we have learned from it, assuring us to further reflect on this, learn, improve, and avoid repeating a similar mistake in the future.
He does not shy away from mentioning quotes from known personalities that serve as a springboard to what he intends to discuss in each chapter. The approaches and suggestions present in this guide are, however, his own. Helpful tables, checklists, and summaries present here prove most useful and serve as impressive takeaways. “The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation” by Mark Graban is unequivocally a worthy blueprint whose recommendations are likely to transform anyone who gets their hands on it.
“The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation” is a well-grounded compendium written by Mark Graban. An internationally recognized consultant, author, speaker, and entrepreneur, he invites us into an approach to reacting to mistakes, suggesting the value of building a culture of learning from errors and bad decisions both on a personal level and in the capacity of a leader in the corporate world.
Drawing on research in psychology as well as experiential evidence, the author highlights the need for leaders to develop a growth mindset and cherish mistakes as gifts that can drive organizational improvement by encouraging creativity, innovation, and personal growth. He does not stop there but goes ahead to address the inept effect of concealing mistakes that inevitably lead to stagnated self-improvement. The author uses real-world stories to provide his audience with cogent tips for creating conditions that eliminate mistrust and instead foster great performance.
Eloquently written and organized like an accessible game plan, “The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation” avoids unnecessary clichés unlike other books of its genre, that are likely to mar its prose. Mr. Graban invites us to use the book as we wish, for personal development and organizational growth, or even both. He reminds us that the most powerful question we can ask after a mistake is what we have learned from it, assuring us to further reflect on this, learn, improve, and avoid repeating a similar mistake in the future.
He does not shy away from mentioning quotes from known personalities that serve as a springboard to what he intends to discuss in each chapter. The approaches and suggestions present in this guide are, however, his own. Helpful tables, checklists, and summaries present here prove most useful and serve as impressive takeaways. “The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation” by Mark Graban is unequivocally a worthy blueprint whose recommendations are likely to transform anyone who gets their hands on it.
August 6, 2023
I recommend reading “The Mistakes that Make Us.” It gives us an extended and informative example of how to make the best of undesirable outcomes. Author Mark Graban almost seems to be setting the stage for his second book about the four areas of Dr. Deming’s System of Profound Knowledge—his first being “Measures of Success” which covered Understanding Variation—the Theory of Knowledge. In “The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation,” Mark fills each chapter with stories of mistakes made, lessons learned, and actions taken to prevent recurrence. The conversations Mark shares from guests who’ve appeared on his podcast “My Favorite Mistake,” provide rich material for stories as well as excellent references for additional study. The chapter headings provide the essence of thoughtful guidance: 1. Think Positively. 2. Admit Mistakes. 3. Be Kind. 4. Prevent Mistakes. 5. Help Everyone to Speak Up. 6. Choose Improvement Not Punishment. 7. Iterate Your Way to Success. 8. Cultivate Forever.
One definition of a mistake that appears in the book, “Mistakes arise from decisions and actions that produce outcomes that don’t match our intended results,” overlooks the role of prediction in PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) learning and improvement cycles. And, with so much good foundational material, I found myself searching for a clear definition of learning that consisted of more than not repeating a mistake.
An insightful passage, the spirit of which is infused throughout the book is this: “When we lack knowledge, we tend to fill that gap with assumptions that could be incorrect—leading to mistakes… Stubbornly clinging to assumptions can cause many mistakes. When an assumption turns out to be untrue, we must detect it early to adjust accordingly.” This is a personal and professional challenge for which Mark Graban’s book helps us prepare.
One definition of a mistake that appears in the book, “Mistakes arise from decisions and actions that produce outcomes that don’t match our intended results,” overlooks the role of prediction in PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) learning and improvement cycles. And, with so much good foundational material, I found myself searching for a clear definition of learning that consisted of more than not repeating a mistake.
An insightful passage, the spirit of which is infused throughout the book is this: “When we lack knowledge, we tend to fill that gap with assumptions that could be incorrect—leading to mistakes… Stubbornly clinging to assumptions can cause many mistakes. When an assumption turns out to be untrue, we must detect it early to adjust accordingly.” This is a personal and professional challenge for which Mark Graban’s book helps us prepare.
August 14, 2023
This is a great read! It is chock full of helpful stories and real life examples of people sharing their "biggest" mistakes! There is also a number of terrific reminders that mistakes are always going to occur and are a necessary part of anyone's growth (personal, professional or even at the company level). Well done, Mark!
October 17, 2023
No mistake, read.
This book is an interesting combination of stories and advice associated with “making mistakes” and how to learn and grow, instead of burying one’s head in the sand. The top takeaway? Psychological Safety will make or break this capability within organizations.
And a longer review on my blog: https://www.jackvinson.com/blog/2023/...
This book is an interesting combination of stories and advice associated with “making mistakes” and how to learn and grow, instead of burying one’s head in the sand. The top takeaway? Psychological Safety will make or break this capability within organizations.
And a longer review on my blog: https://www.jackvinson.com/blog/2023/...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews