When it comes to failure, self-reflection is what we want! That’s how we grow from making mistakes. And that can only happen in a place of safety.

Think about a little kid who breaks something.Failure

If they think they’ll get yelled at for doing something “wrong,” how likely are they to tell you the truth? They may try to cover up the mistake, lie about it, or justify it somehow. All of this leads to shame and fear. None of this leads to self-reflection. 

So, practice manager, your team members need a place where it’s okay to fail!

We know this may sound odd, but here are some “failures” that can facilitate growth.

The doctor gets way behind, and the patient gets frustrated.

A marketing effort doesn’t get done on time.

You get a crummy review.

These things are typically due to some system not being followed.

If we don’t admit and acknowledge the failure, how can we do better next time? How can we assure that the workflow is being followed? Or, how can we make the necessary adjustments that will make the system work better for us next time? 

Bring failure into the fold. 

  • Have a team who is transparent about their own failures. YES, that also means having a leader who is also transparent about their failures. So if you’re not comfortable saying, “I messed up,” then it’s time to start practicing. 
  • Alongside your successes, talk about and celebrate failures at your weekly meeting. Have a failure checklist. Your team members can turn this in weekly. 
  • Keep track of failures so you can look back and say, “Wow, we’ve come a long way!” Remember when Jane printed the wrong number on the brochure? That’s why we triple-check phone numbers before printing now! This puts things in perspective and shows that everyone messes up sometimes. A team who does this together is much stronger in the short and long term.

Approach failure productively. 

  • Highlight the failure (with grace, humor and acceptance).
    1. Ask: Where did this breakdown happen? Perhaps the team member was too nervous to tell the patient that the doctor was running late, and once the patient got frustrated, the team member brushed her off. Maybe the patient didn’t get the video. Maybe the team member didn’t explain well enough. Or maybe the patient just wasn’t listening. Focus on the things YOU could have done differently.
    2. Brainstorm: How can this be handled next time? Is there a system in place? 
    3. Provide tools for success. Practice. Act out the situation again. Explain the outcome when handled properly. Offer alternate solutions.
    4. Move on and keep trying! This is how something can move from a person’s list of failures to their list of victories! 
  • Celebrate the eventual success. 

At Great Practice Design, we recommend that you welcome failure the way you welcome success! (That is, of course, unless the failure keeps happening, and never moves to the victories list. Then it’s time to address the problem with your team member.)