We’ve all been told that everyone makes mistakes, and we learn more from our mistakes than our accomplishments. So why does it still feel like we are to cover up or ignore the mistakes we make? Should we tackle a different approach when we discover a mistake has been made? Addressing our mistakes is not only important, but is vital to our growth as employees as well as the company as a whole.

We often approach mistakes as a problem-solution method. What caused the mistake to be made, and how can we fix it? While this is a fantastic technique to move past the blunder, we may be able to dig a little deeper to discover more aspects of the situation than were initially sought out. When a mistake has been made, it allows the company to go back and explore our processes step by step. We are then able to fine-tune any stage that needs adjustment, and investigate why that stage of the process is not as strong as it could be.

While mistakes are inevitable and they do provide learning opportunities, it is not to say that mistakes are repeatedly encouraged. Additionally, mistakes that are brushed under the rug provide an even bigger problem. As employees, we need to walk in to every day with the intent to learn and grow. Once we have encountered a learning opportunity, it is important to address the opportunity head-on, and to avoid any future slip-ups. Check out this article for more information on why good leaders crave bad news.