Today, I’m embarking on a new adventure: writing—or at least trying to—a series of articles that aren’t about code, but about people and work. Every now and then, I’ll mention characters I’ve had the pleasure (or displeasure) of collaborating with, but above all, I’ll talk about health: yours, your colleagues’, and your team’s.
I want to be clear from the start: these pieces aren't just for Tech Leads or Team Leaders. They are for everyone. Managing morale is a job that belongs to anyone who is part of a team.
With that intro out of the way... Let’s dive in!
The Weight of Mistakes
Today, I want to talk about a topic that fascinates me: errors.
Making mistakes is tied to many things, but the main one is Ego. At every level, failing is a bitter pill to swallow, and admitting it is even harder.
It’s easy to take 100% ownership of something that works. But have you ever tried taking ownership of your failures?
Failures are part of the journey. As Thomas Edison famously said:
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
This is what ownership means. It’s about shifting your mindset and that of your team.
Extreme Ownership
In our line of work, a mistake might cost time or money. But there are contexts where an error costs much more. Jocko Willink, in his book Extreme Ownership, recounts a dramatic episode in Ramadi, Iraq. Due to the "fog of war" and communication breakdowns, his platoon of Navy SEALs was involved in a "Blue on Blue" (friendly fire) incident. Men were wounded, and an allied soldier lost his life.
During the debriefing, standing before his superiors and his men, Jocko didn’t look for excuses. He didn't blame the malfunctioning radio or the soldier who pulled the trigger. He simply said:
"It’s my fault. I am the commander, and I am responsible for everything that happens on the battlefield."
By taking full responsibility, he eliminated the blame game. Instead of being defensive, the team was able to immediately focus on the solution: understanding what went wrong to ensure it never happened again.
They were risking human lives and the fate of a nation; we might not be, but the lesson remains the same.
3 Small Steps to Help You When You Fail
Fail Forward: Stop making excuses. Understand the problem, learn from it, and move on.
Admit What You Don’t Know: If you don't know something, either study it thoroughly before starting or raise your hand and ask for help. Pretending to be an expert costs much more than actually learning. No one can fake it forever, and those around you will notice anyway.
Team Manifesto: Create an environment where no one has to hide. A place where it’s OK to make mistakes and where everyone enjoys psychological safety.
These are just small starting points to help you manage your errors and, above all, to help others understand that failing isn't the problem. How you react is.
So, when was the last time you raised your hand and said, "I messed up, here’s how we fix it"?
