One thing I’ve reflected on this week is how much easier it is to solve problems when the starting point is trust rather than blame.
I was involved in a discussion recently following an issue that had caused understandable frustration to one of our communities. There were things we, the council, could have done differently. Equally, the other organisation involved recognised that there were things they might have handled differently too.
What struck me was how constructive the conversation was. Nobody spent time defending positions or allocating fault. Instead, the focus was on understanding what had happened, what we could learn from it, and how we could reduce the chances of it happening again.
That isn’t always easy. Admitting that we could have done something better can feel uncomfortable, particularly when we are working hard and doing our best. But in my experience, the organisations and partnerships that learn fastest are usually the ones where people feel able to acknowledge mistakes openly and where others are willing to respond with understanding rather than criticism.
Trusting relationships don’t mean lowering standards or avoiding accountability. In fact, they often allow us to be more honest about what has gone wrong. They create the conditions for genuine improvement because people spend less time protecting themselves and more time finding solutions.
None of us enjoys getting things wrong. But if we’re honest, most of us learn far more from the occasional misstep than we do from the times everything goes perfectly to plan. The important thing is what happens next: being willing to listen, learn and work together to do better the next time.
Enjoy your weekend.
Pippa
Pippa Milne,
Chief Executive
