Episode #69: Dealing With Our Own Mistakes

Why should leaders in Japan welcome failure, not fear it?

In many 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and even 外資系企業 (foreign multinational companies) in 東京 (Tokyo), mistakes are seen as something to avoid at all costs. People hesitate to try new ideas because the fear of blame is so strong. That kills innovation and learning.

As coach John Wooden said, “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” The real risk is not the mistake itself, but refusing to learn and adapt afterwards.

Mini-summary: When leaders accept failure as part of growth, people try more, learn faster, and the whole organisation becomes more innovative.

In Japan, “tough love” toward errors can be extreme. A single mistake can bring a public scolding or shame. People then focus on not failing instead of creating value.

This mindset makes it hard to experiment, share ideas, or challenge the status quo. The punishment for failure is often far bigger than the reward for success, so people stay safe and quiet.

Mini-summary: A strict zero-mistake culture protects the status quo but blocks creativity, growth, and real business breakthroughs.

Great leaders see mistakes as education, not as a reason to fire people. Lee Iacocca, former CEO of Chrysler, once told an executive who made a multi-million dollar error, “We just spent millions educating you.”

When leaders respond calmly, ask “What did we learn?” and keep the person in the game, the team feels safe to innovate. This is the kind of leadership mindset we build in our リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training) and エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching).

Mini-summary: If leaders treat mistakes as tuition, not termination, people learn faster and become more loyal and courageous.

Use these five practical habits:

1. Brush it off
   Understand that everyone fails. Accept the mistake, don’t panic, and move forward.

2. Don’t fuss about trifles
   Stop wasting energy on small, low-impact errors. Save your focus for the big, important work.

3. Don’t worry about the past
   Learn the lesson, then let it go. Other people quickly move on; you should too.

4. Profit from your mistakes
   Ask: “Why did this happen? What will I do differently next time?” Turn errors into improvement plans.

5. Rest before you get tired
   Many errors come from fatigue and rushing. Manage your energy and use your best time of day for critical tasks.

These behaviors are essential for high-performance sales teams in our 営業研修 (sales training) and for confident presenters in our プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training).

Mini-summary: Clear reflection, focus on what matters, and good energy management turn everyday mistakes into practical advantages.

How do failure and success connect in high performance?

Basketball legend Michael Jordan said he missed thousands of shots and still became a champion because he kept trying. Business is the same. You will not remove all mistakes, but you can master how you respond to them.

For 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign multinational companies) in 東京 (Tokyo), this mindset supports long-term stamina, reliability, and resilience — key outcomes in our leadership, sales, presentation, and DEI研修 (DEI training) programs.

Mini-summary: Success is not the absence of mistakes, but the consistent, disciplined response to them over time.

• Failure is a normal part of learning, especially in innovation and change.

• Harsh reactions to mistakes shut down creativity and risk-taking.

• Treat errors as “tuition” and create a safe space to learn and improve.

• Simple habits — reflect, refocus, and rest — turn mistakes into long-term strength.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.

We design リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 営業研修 (sales training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training) that help you turn everyday mistakes into long-term competitive advantage in Japan’s unique business culture.