But not everyone who makes a mistake gains useful knowledge from the experience. Most people explain away their failures, unwilling to stare into the light and see that their sacred cows were really just cows. Are you strong enough to see the truth and name it? Are you willing to identify the substance of your own mistakes?
This humility is the key to progress. It’s hard to say, “Our product or service fell below the customer’s expectations.” It’s easier to say, “We ran into unforeseeable circumstances” or “We were ahead of our time.” What we might have learned from the mistake is lost, and now history must repeat itself one more time.
This is why so few people who hold a job for 10 years get 10 years of experience. The average blame-shifter gets one year’s experience ten times. Don’t let this be you. To learn things most people will never know, you must summon courage, see clearly, swallow your pride and speak the truth.
Monday Morning Memo from Wizard of Ads, 8/6/07