Summary
In this episode, I continue the discussion from Episode 28 about balancing team member autonomy with top-down control. I share insights on dealing with the inevitable mistakes that occur when letting go of control and emphasize that there are good and bad mistakes. I introduce Jeff Bezos’ “one-way door” versus “two-way door” framework for decision-making, as well as a 4×4 matrix to evaluate risk and consequences of failure to determine which tasks to relinquish control over. The episode also touches on why a lack of mistakes can indicate stagnation and the importance of creating a company culture that allows for the right type of mistakes.
I also share five common causes of mistakes, and categorize them as “good” or “bad”. Additionally, the podcast covers five behaviors to avoid when dealing with mistakes, such as finger-pointing and failure to learn, and how to teach people to handle mistakes properly.
Contents
• 0:01 – Introduction
• 2:24 – Mistakes
• 2:44 – One-way door vs. Two-way door decisions
• 6:04 – Mental Framework
• 6:17 – Risk of Failure vs. Consequence of Failure
• 9:58 – Mistake of Thinking GIS Implementation Costs $3 Million
• 11:09 – Causes of Mistakes
• 13:34 – Good vs. Bad Mistakes
• 20:09 – Problems to Avoid When Dealing with Mistakes
• 20:14 – Google Earth