Making mistakes and learning from them

The recently concluded World Series will be remembered for lots of things, including a surprising number of mistakes by the participants. We can learn from the mistakes we saw during those games — and we can take heart from them too.

In the eighth inning of Game 1, with the score tied 3-3, Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer mishandled a ground ball and allowed the Mets to take the lead. Much later, in the 14th inning, Hosmer drove in the winning run.

Eric Hosmer boots a ground ball…. {Source: thebiglead.com)

Lesson 1: Your mistake probably isn’t the end of the world. Hosmer didn’t brood over his mistake. He kept his head up and seized an opportunity to make amends. (He seized another opportunity in Game 5 when, in perhaps the most memorable play of the Series, he scored a crucial run with his daring baserunning.)

In Game 3, with two men on base, Royals pitcher Franklin Morales fielded a ground ball and thought about throwing it home. Then he thought about throwing it to first base. By the time he finally threw the ball — to second base — it was too late. The batter and both runners were safe.

Lesson 2: Plan ahead. Good baseball players know what they’ll do before the ball comes to them. We, too, shouldn’t wait until a situation arises before we know what we’ll do.

….and then drives in the winning run (Source: New York Times)

In Game 5 Mets manager Terry Collins decided to replace his tiring pitcher, Matt Harvey, after eight innings. TV viewers watched Harvey in the dugout, imploring Collins to change his mind. Collins relented. Harvey stayed in the game, gave up a walk and a double, and the Mets went on to lose.

Collins made a mistake by trusting his heart over his better judgment. He took full blame, saying “you gotta support your players once in a while” and “we’ll get better because of it.” Collins might very well be right. the Mets lost this game (and the Series). But perhaps their players gained a greater respect for their manager, which will pay off in the long run.

Lessons 3 and 4: When you make a mistake, own it. And don’t be afraid to trust your heart: the long-term intangible benefits might outweigh the short-term costs. While these lessons are true for everyone, they go double for leaders.

You and I try not to make mistakes. But they happen anyway. Why not resolve that next time you make a mistake, you’ll learn something from it.

What have you learned from the mistakes you’ve made?