Successful Error Culture: Why Instead of Who?

Mistakes? We prefer to avoid them! But that’s exactly where the trap lies:
Without mistakes, there is no progress. The key to real growth lies in a positive error culture based on trust. The crucial question to ask is: Why? instead of Who?

Mistakes – A Necessary Evil?
Mistakes cost money, time, and energy. No wonder many companies focus on error prevention with manuals, regulations, and strict controls. But reality shows: Mistakes can’t be completely avoided. And instead of learning from them, they are often covered up, delayed, or swept under the rug. Why? Because admitting mistakes threatens our self-esteem. Our brain is programmed to deny errors – an ancient survival mechanism.

Mistakes – The Fuel for Innovation.
Mistakes are not just obstacles but springboards! Thomas Edison once said: “If you don’t have enough success, increase the speed at which you make mistakes.” Many of the greatest inventions in history, such as penicillin or Viagra, would never have existed without mistakes.
Trial and error is a proven learning method. The key is not whether mistakes happen, but how we deal with them.

Error Culture:
Between Fear and Indifference
Fear-based culture: If mistakes are punished, this leads to fear, stagnation, and blame-shifting.
Measured tolerance: Careless mistakes should not become the norm, but an open, reflective error culture enables learning and growth.

Blaming someone immediately—"shaking the ladder on which a teammate is standing"—is often an unconscious, emotional reaction. But this does not solve the root cause of the mistake; it only triggers defensive behaviour, blame-shifting, and cover-ups.

Why? Instead of Who? – Strengthening Trust, Not Blame.
Metaphorically speaking, we need to find out why the ladder started to wobble. The crucial question is not "Who made the mistake?", but "Why did the mistake happen?" It shifts the focus from the person to the cause. It enables objective analysis rather than assigning blame.

It encourages people to identify and discuss mistakes early. This creates a constructive error culture that strengthens collaboration, fosters innovation, and ensures long-term success.

Conclusion:
Turning Mistakes into Opportunities
A successful error culture does not mean negligence but rather a conscious approach to mistakes—with the goal of continuous improvement. This places high demands on communication when handling mistakes.

➡ Not “Who?”, but “Why?” is the key question!