A debate exists as to whether making an error is the same as, or different from,making a mistake. In baseball, an error is the act of a fielder’s misplaying a ball in a way that allows a batter or base runner to reach one or more additional bases, when that advance could have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder. The fielder made an error. He misjudged the speed, direction or height of the ball coming at him.
While errors are tabulated at every game, some legendary mistakes show a profound difference between errors and mistakes. For instance, Pete Rose will never be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame though he was considered one of the best players in baseball history. Rose was found to have bet on baseball while he managed the Cincinnati Reds. This mistake not only led to his being banned from professional baseball, but tarnished his legacy as a truly great player forever.
These examples highlight a distinct difference between making an error and making a mistake. An error occurs when a person’s perception, judgment, skill acquisition and development is at fault. A mistake, however, happens when the person chooses an action that he/she knows is illegal and/or unhealthy, and may produce negative consequences.
If you are truly playing your best game, whether it be on the field, in the boardroom or on the street selling product, and an error occurs that causes you to lose the ball, a contract or a sale, you can re-evaluate your position and see what you could have improved upon to reach your goal. On the other hand, if you are consciously trying to “get ahead” by fudging numbers, lying or relying on altered states of consciousness (intoxication, for example) to get by, these mistakes will result in very negative consequences.
Since errors involve human judgment and perception, the one who errs does not believe or know at the time that the action in question will end with negative results. Business owners and managers, for instance, are not making a mistake when they hire someone after an interview who later does not work out. Staff members are not making a mistake when they wrongly estimate how long a job takes and the results add to the cost of a project. While everyone makes errors, the bright side is that each of us can learn from his/her errors and decrease the chance of making the same ones again. Learned lessons are the antidote to making new errors.
Breathe, Reflect, Plan, Practice
A few simple steps can considerably improve the way you handle errors. First,
remember to breathe once an error has been discovered. You need all of your possible
resources to figure out what happened and create a new plan of action. A sufficient
amount of oxygen to your brain will greatly support your efforts.
Next, you need to reflect on what happened. Just look at the facts–no blame or shame needed. That clarity enables you to decide how and where the error occurred.
Once you have a grasp of the situation, devise a plan of action that will rectify the problem and help prevent future errors. You also must remember that an error may have occurred because you were playing in new territories. A new salesperson, for example, will have to learn many skills to be successful at sales. A human resource employee will have to conduct many interviews before his perceptions and the process result in few errors. Thus, people need help when errors are the result of insufficient knowledge and skill development. Luckily, there are plenty of instructors, mentors and fellow colleagues with whom to consult so that any new plan you develop should reduce the chances of further error.
But, in the end, even the new plan will require practice to improve your skills. Though practice does not actually “make perfect,” it sure helps in developing new skills. While no one likes to make errors, an error is not the end of the world. Baseball teams still win the World Series; businesses continue to generate a profit; and relationships stay intact even when errors have been made. Errors remind us that we are human beings who have the opportunity to improve our skills, increase our profits, and enjoy life to the fullest as we continue to live and learn.
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