The central theme of this article is that the most effective way to foster growth and a winning entrepreneurial culture is by empowering teams to make their own mistakes. The author, a CEO, advocates for a leadership philosophy built around one core question for every major decision: “Whose mistake is it to make?” This approach grants team members the agency to learn from their errors, building resilience, humility, and organizational strength.
Resist Overruling and Empower Growth
The article argues that leaders should resist the temptation to “play the boss card” and overrule decisions within a team member’s area of responsibility, even if they disagree. Overriding a choice robs the individual of a critical learning opportunity. The author notes that he has been proven wrong many times by his team’s decisions, leading to superstar hires he initially opposed. When a mistake does occur, the focus should be on analyzing what went wrong and how to improve, never on an “I told you so” moment.
Encourage Failure Responsibly
This leadership style is not about promoting recklessness. It requires a supportive infrastructure where due diligence is expected and leaders intervene only in rare, potentially catastrophic situations. For the vast majority of decisions, the growth opportunity that comes from a potential failure is more valuable than the risk of the mistake itself. This principle also applies to the leader; they must also own their decisions, invite debate, and accept that some choices are their mistake to make.
The Takeaway
The ultimate conclusion is that an organization paralyzed by fear of failure will stagnate. A healthy, scalable business is one that encourages bold chances and views mistakes as essential learning experiences. By allowing for failure, leaders create a dynamic environment where great people and great businesses can truly grow.
Mentoring question
Think about a recent decision where you overruled a team member or were overruled by a leader. How could applying the ‘Whose mistake is it to make?’ principle have changed the outcome and the learning opportunity for those involved?
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