Learning from Mistakes:

6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes

into Learning Opportunities

6.
What learning
occurred? What can
I do differently?

1.
What happened and
what were the
consequences?

2.
What assumptions
am I making?

5.
What patterns do I
observe?

3.
What role did
communication
play?

4.
What role did
power play?

The Cycle of Reflection

A self-guided process for supporting me to
transform mistakes into learning opportunities!
Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

Pass It On! (in whole but not in pieces)

Copyright 2011 Service Alternatives, Inc. Training Institute. All rights reserved. These materials may not be
republished or resold in any form without written permission from the author. But we encourage you to pass it
on in its entirety. Do you know someone else who can benefit from this?
Empowering you through knowledge and exceptional support. If you are looking for tools,
resources, and practical applications of training material that will empower your organization,
you have come to the right place. See, our mission is to provide the tools you need to meet
performance outcomes maintain environmental safety and effectively meet legal requirements.
Service Alternatives Training Institute provides: Attitudinal Trainings, Behavioral Skills Academy, Critical
Event Response, Health and Safety Trainings, Instructor Training Programs, Leadership Academy, Life Skills
Trainings, RIGHT RESPONSE Workshops, Workshop Outline Training Options, Therapeutic Techniques and
Practice Models and Training Skills Academy
We also have a strong set of guiding core valuesexcellence, integrity, customer service, employee
satisfaction, fiscal responsibility, and community through which we think, act and operate our business in
order to successfully carry out our vision. We believe our core values only have strength and credibility as they
are embodied in our day-to-day work.
Learn more at www.servalt.com and at www.satraininginstitute.org.
Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

Introduction
In order to initiate the Cycle of Reflection, it is necessary for me to look at what happened in a particular
situation with an objective eye. I must be able to take a fearless inventory of my actions and behaviors as
well as the impacts that these actions and behaviors have on others. I must be honest with myself and dig deeply
into assessing what happened. I must not only look at my actions, but also my intentions.
What was it that I intended to achieve through my actions?
What were my motivations?
I must look at the impacts these actions have had on others.
How have my actions impacted others?
How have they impacted my relationships?
The Cycle of Reflection provides me with a tool for doing just this. We all make mistakes. In fact, high
performing leaders and high performing teams make even more mistakes! The key is using these difficult
experiences as learning opportunities.
The Cycle of Reflection tool can be used to help me:
Turn every mistake into a success by making it a learning opportunity for growth.
Increase my ability to work with anyone using powerful conflict navigation tools.
Maximize performance of my team with tools to cooperatively learn from mistakes.

Assumptions

Leaders learn from mistakes.

I have the potential to learn and grow as a leader.
Learning requires that I fearlessly look at my actions as well as my impacts.
Learning requires that I check my assumptions.
Learning requires that I set my intention to make changes.
Effective leaders see setbacks as temporary.
Effective leaders believe that commitment to change will lead to improvements.

Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

Step 1. What happened and what were the consequences?

In this step of the Cycle of Reflection, it is necessary to try to be objective. Objectivity supports me to step
aside from my own subjective appraisal and to look at events in a more balanced way. Objectivity provides me
with the opportunity to get some distance from events. Objectivity allows me to observe my own actions and
emotions. If I am finding difficulty in obtaining objectivity, some ideas are:
Written expression can be an immensely beneficial tool. Can I journal about what happened?
Solicit feedback from trusted confidantes. From which trusted friends, colleagues, or coaches in my life
can I benefit by soliciting objective feedback?
There can be tremendous benefit in using the energy within my body as a learning mechanism. Can I do
meditation or some kind of mind-body exercise? Where is my unresolved tension and how does it
prevent me from being objective?

Reflection Reporter
Another step I can take, which is described below, is to pretend that I am a reporter and write about the events
as thoroughly as I can, using the questions as a guide.
Describe what happened, being as objective as I can be. How would an observer describe the situation?
What was I trying to accomplish with my actions? What led to my actions? What motivated my actions?
What were my goals or intentions?
How did I engage others?
How did I manage my emotions around the situation?
What were the consequences of my actions for others and me? How did I feel about what happened?
How were relationships impacted by what happened? How did these events increase or decrease
effectiveness?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

Step 2: What assumptions am I making?

Assumptions are very powerful. My assumptions about a situation can drive how I choose to react to that
situation. It is quite common, and quite a mistake, to assume that my assumptions are facts.
When I make an error, am I acknowledging the assumptions I may have made? I may assume that I am right
and the other person is wrong. I may assume that I know what is true. In order to grow as a leader, it is
important that I constantly challenge my assumptions. It is important that I attempt to look at reality from the
perspective of others. It is important to reframe the situation in a way that allows everyone to be right.
My beliefs about a situation become reinforced when I choose to focus on certain aspects of a situation. What I
focus on reinforces my beliefs. The cycle is endless.
Another way to unlock my assumptions is to look at what factors may go into forming them. My history (my
personal life experiences) impacts how I see the world. Are there assumptions I make about others or situations
that are based on previous experiences? Another factor that can dramatically impact my assumptions is stress.
When I experience stress or burnout, I likely have less tolerance for others. I may make assumptions that I do
not make when I am free of stress.
What were my beliefs about what was true?
How does my personal or professional history impact these assumptions?
What could I be missing? What am I not including or thinking about? What pieces of the puzzle have I
failed to look at?
What role did emotional control play? What role did stress play?
How can I test my assumptions?
How might others see this situation differently? How could I reframe this situation where everyone is
right?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

Step 3: What role did communication play?

Communication often plays a role in mistakes that I make as a leader. Even the best decision, if it is not
communicated well, can result in unintended consequences. When communicating it is necessary to consider
the who, what, where, when, how and why of communication.

Who:

Who do I need to make aware of my decision, concern or problem? It is critical that I

communicate with the right people. If critical individuals are out of the loop, they cannot support
my decision. People like to be informed of what is happening within the organization. One
critical question is: Am I putting the right people in the loop around what I intend to
communicate?

What:

What do I need to communicate? It is important that I am clear and communicate what I need to
communicate. When I communicate with others, it is important that I am clear about how much I
want others to be involved in decision-making. If I am asking for feedback on a problem or
issue, but will make the decision myself, it is necessary that I am transparent about the fact that
my decision process is consultative. Also, if I am communicating a decision, it is important that I
am clear that the decision has been made; that there is not open dialogue still occurring.

Where:

Where do I need to communicate? Do I need a different type of communication in different

places? If I need to share important information in an urgent manner with a small group of
people, it may be most appropriate to make personal calls or stop by their offices. However, if
the same message needs to get out to many recipients, e-mail may be very appropriate. It is never
wise to deal with emotionally charged topics over e-mail. I will be more successful with my
communication when I choose the appropriate mechanism (calling, stopping by, e-mail, IM,
texting, formal letter) for the given situation.

When:

When do I communicate? The timing of communication can be critical to successful

communication. Communicating a major decision too late can foster a lack of clarity among
those who are speculating about the outcome.

Why:

Why am I communicating? It is important to be clear and transparent about the reasons behind
my communication, and that ensure that I am not carrying hidden agendas into communication.
The more clear I am before initiating my communication, the more effective my actual
communication will be.

How:

How do I communicate in a way that will support the listener in understanding the message? Do
I model good listening skills? It is important that I have sensitivity to the needs of the listener.
When the topic of the communication is difficult, I should check in around the state of mind of
the listener and their readiness to listen. Also, I must demonstrate that I am open to feedback and
approachable. Am I staying curious about the other persons perspective?

Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

My role in communication
What role did communication play in this scenario?
How could I have improved my communication? Did I consider the who, what, where, when, why, and
how of communication?
Was I aware of how my communication impacted others?
What was the tone of my communication?
Did my judgments, opinions or assumptions get in the way of communicating effectively?
Could I have stayed more curious about what others were thinking? If so, how?
Do I have preconceptions about how others communicate that might get in the way of being effective?
What are these?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

Step 4. What role did power play?

Power is critical in our world. As a leader, I must hold power in a very intentional way so that I can use it
effectively. The true impact of my power is often hard for me to fully embrace. Do I recognize my power as a
tool, as a means to impact wonderful change in the world and also as a means to harm? By holding my power as
carefully as I would hold a newborn child, I am honoring power in the way that it needs to be honored. If power
is the ability to influence the actions and attitudes of others, am I doing so with great integrity and with the
larger goal in mind? I can use my power to benefit the greater good (my organization, clients, and customers) or
to benefit myself, which in turn can harm the greater good.
What was the role that power played in this scenario?
Was I aware of my own power needs in this scenario? Did I use my power to benefit me or the overall
good of the organization?
Did the use of my power help or hurt this situation?
Could I have used my power differently? If so, how?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

Step 5. What patterns do I observe?

Behavior does not occur in isolation. When I look carefully at a problem that occurs in my work life, I
typically can see it in the broader context of my life, my history, my way of being in the world. In order to make
a change, it is helpful to look at the patterns that I create in my life. What do I notice when I use the following
chart to identify some of my ineffective patterns? It is typical for it to be difficult to see my patterns and it may
be helpful to consult with others around this.
What types of issues most often come up for me at work?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
What types of issues most often come up in my life?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
How often do I use the following ineffective patterns?
Seldom

Pattern

Sometimes

I believe that I am usually right and others may be wrong.

I avoid the truth.
I act out my stress by hurting myself.
I act out my stress by hurting others.
I feel stressed or burned out.
My life is out of balance.
I jump to conclusions.
I only partially listen to others rather than being fully present.
I believe that problems just dont go away.
I communicate ineffectively.
I am closed to truly honest feedback and constructive criticism.
I use my power to get what I want.
Others feel hurt by me.
Others feel disrespected by me.
I am closed to hearing the thoughts and ideas of others.
I am too busy to really give the people I supervise what they need.
I avoid conflict.
Others

Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

Often

Step 6: What did I learn? What is my intention?

Every journey begins with taking a first step. When I look at an issue that has come up at through the lenses of
my assumptions, communication, power, history and identifying patterns, I can often see areas where I need to
facilitate change. As with any transition, setting my intention will establish momentum. Incremental change
strategies support me in taking steps that are sustainable over time. I am kind to myself and position myself for
great success when I make incremental changes. Liken this to someone who is dieting. Rather than eliminating
all bad food, I will be more successful by eliminating sugar or eating 6 servings of fruit and vegetables each
day. Incremental change is doable. It is manageable. Incremental change allows me to be successful, and to
move forward.
It is important that I hold myself accountable to the change strategy that I create. Accountability means
checking in with myself to ensure that I am carrying out my intention. Am I being successful? Accountability
does not mean beating myself up with changes dont last in the way I intended. Accountability means having
the honesty to constantly self assess and take the next step toward sustainable change.

What did I learn from looking at this situation?

What insight can I bring into future decisions I make or actions I take?
What incremental change could I make that would support me in doing things differently?
What pieces of the learning cycle do I need to increase my awareness of as I move into the future?
What types of learning can I engage to support my further growth? Who can help?
What do I need to let go of?
What intention can I set for the future?
What practices can I put into place for the future?

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

10

Completing the Cycle: Where do I go from here?

After taking a comprehensive look at a mistake, such as I have done through completing the steps of the Cycle
of Reflecting, it is time to move ahead. Again, high performing leaders and high performing teams learn from
mistakes and then move on. Am I ready to move on? Are there any steps I need to take at this time in order to
be complete? If so, by writing them below, carrying them out, and being intentional about learning from my
mistakes, I am honoring me and those around me. I will be ready to make a new mistakebecause new ones
will happen. The key is in transforming my mistakes into learning opportunities.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

11

This guide comes from the Service Alternatives Training Institute Leadership Academy.
Learn more about how the Leadership Academy can help you lead high performing teams
toward sustainable outcomes. Subscribe to the Leadership Mailing List for more free tips and
support resources.

http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy

Service Alternatives Training Institute

PO Box 445, Woodinville, WA 98072
Phone 800-896-9234
Fax 866-534-1381
learn@satraininginstitute.org
Learning from Mistakes: 6 Steps for Transforming Mistakes Into Learning Opportunities is brought to you as a free training service from:
Service Alternatives Training Institute. Get more support resources and tips at: http://satraininginstitute.org/leadership-academy
Know someone else who could benefit from this free training? Pass it on!

12