Shortly after my dad died I was riding in the car with my mother when I turned to her and said “You were right.”
Mom looked at me confused and said “huh, about what?”
My response, “About everything. Consider that statement a blanket.” We both laughed. But seriously, I wasn’t way off in my thinking.
Every one of us ignored the advice of our parents growing up. They couldn’t possibly be right. We didn’t listen and too many times we ended up learning from our mistakes. The great thing was they kept their mouth shut and let us learn.
Organizations can learn a lot from this. I’ve always believed that letting people make mistakes is the way they learn best. Most people don’t learn as much from a success as they do from a setback. Most people don’t learn as much from a success as they do from a bad business deal.
Now I am not suggesting that we let employees drive an organization into the ground, but what I am suggesting is a little less hand holding; a little less control; allow people to be creative.
And if they screw up, be there to help them right the wrong; not remind them of it.
The cool thing is that there are a lot of moms running organizations these days. Just remember they’re probably right; you’re probably wrong. I’m also hoping they’ll act like moms when you screw up and let you learn and not can your sorry butt.
Now these days as mom is getting older she is recognizing that I’m right a lot of the times; and she can learn a lot from me. Not only can she learn a lot from me; she is asking. I find myself telling her what to do. Sometimes she listens; sometimes not.
Again, organizations can learn from this. With all these generations working together we need to realize that everyone has a lot to learn from everyone else. So when mom comes asking for advice; give it to her. And at the same time…….Mom, when the kids come and offer advice don’t chase them out of the kitchen (office); listen to what they have to say.
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