We all make mistakes, right?  From the way we coach our kids to the way we launch a product, the process rarely goes as planned.  The good news is, we CAN learn from our mistakes – we just need a simple framework to do so.

First, we simply acknowledge that we fell short in a certain area.  And, I know, this is not natural.  We tend to defend ourselves and hide where we fell short.  But if we do that, we’ll never learn from our mistakes.  So, name it!  Acknowledge where you fell short.

Second, critically look at what caused us to make the mistake.  Was it an oversight?  Did I not have the correct knowledge or skill set?  Could I have planned better?  Take a moment to think about what led to mistake.

Finally, once you have determined what led to the mistake, take a moment to think about a “fix” that could be applied to the mistake.  In other words, what can we do next time that will prevent the error?  I’ve found that it helps to write this down…otherwise I sometimes end up repeating the same mistakes!

Mistakes are ok, and I would even go so far as to say good, as long as we learn from them.  So don’t be afraid of mistakes, simply acknowledge the error, determine the cause, and then think of a fix that will prevent the same mistake next time.