INTRODUCTION
In the journey of continuous evolution, mistakes should be regarded as allies of constructive logic, drawing valuable lessons from them.
Let us examine how individuals and organisations can reshape their perception of mistakes, transforming them from sources of frustration into catalysts for innovation and development, drawing insights, for example, from neuroscience.
BETWEEN INTUITION AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS: THE DUALITY OF DECISION-MAKING
Mistakes originate in the decision-making process—choices that demand a constant balance between intuition and critical analysis.
Often, cognitive biases—mental shortcuts that generate beliefs and lead to swift choices—impact daily decisions and behaviours, while also interfering with the thought processes that underpin the duality between intuition and rational analysis.
Decisions then become automatic because they are shaped and influenced by past experiences.
The challenge lies in creating environments that foster unbiased reflection, supporting decision-making rooted in an open mindset that evaluates diverse perspectives and considers all available information. This transforms the decision-making process into an opportunity for growth and learning, where the interplay between intuition and analysis can unfold more authentically.
MISTAKES AND OPTICAL ILLUSIONS: HOW WE PERCEIVE REALITY
One way to interpret mistakes is offered by the study of optical illusions, particularly the grey square example. Extensively researched by perceptual psychologists such as Edward H. Adelson, this illusion highlights how our brain processes visual information in ways where colour perception can be drastically influenced by the surrounding context.
In the “checker shadow” illusion, for example, two squares on a chequerboard—one in shadow and the other not—appear to be different shades, even though they are identical shades of grey. This happens because our visual system interprets the squares by taking into account their relative brightness within the context, demonstrating our tendency to make “unconscious inferences” to decode visual reality. (Click on the link to watch the demonstration video)
The reason our brain performs these surprising visual adjustments lies in its constant search for coherence and meaning in our environment. Faced with ambiguous or incomplete information, the brain does its best to “fill in the blanks”, often relying on assumptions drawn from past experiences or the immediate context. The work of Adelson and other scholars in this field highlights not only the complexity of our visual perception, but also how easily our interpretation of reality can be influenced by external factors.
The powerful parallel with how we approach decision-making in our lives and work is clear.
Just as the brain can be deceived by a visual illusion, our decisions and judgements can be distorted by cognitive biases, past experiences, or the context we find ourselves in.
Recognising this tendency toward “selective perception” is the first step in developing greater awareness and the critical thinking needed to learn from a mistake that initially seemed like the right choice.
FROM OBSTACLES TO OPPORTUNITIES: LEARNING FROM MISTAKES
How mistakes are perceived and managed within organisations is heavily influenced by corporate culture.
An environment that views mistakes as valuable learning opportunities encourages experimentation, resilience, and innovation.
The key lies in fostering a culture that tolerates mistakes and embraces them as an integral part of learning and growth.
We must also encourage open sharing of errors and collective analysis of their root causes, drawing practical lessons for the future.
This approach not only facilitates continuous improvement, but also helps to build a sense of trust, belonging, and cohesion among team members—essential ingredients for a stimulating and productive working environment.
THE ROOTS OF RISK AVERSION
On the opposite side of the spectrum lies risk aversion, closely tied to the fear of making mistakes, as erring often means exposing oneself to judgement.
This dynamic stifles originality and risk-taking.
Scientific literature has widely demonstrated that the brain’s responses to fear are the 3 Fs:
- FLIGHT (Running away)
- FIGHT (Facing the threat)
- FREEZE (Paralysis)
At school, for instance, teachers often encouraged us to pass tests with as few mistakes as possible, rather than seeking personal solutions or shared reasoning that might inevitably involve errors.
German psychologist Gerd Gigerenzer speaks of an “error culture”, where people can openly admit to being wrong, thereby learning consciously from their mistakes.
We could learn a great deal from those, particularly in the entrepreneurial world, who are much further ahead in valuing mistakes.
One example is American culture, which is naturally inclined towards trial and error, where making a mistake is not seen as a badge of shame.
Indeed, in major American innovation hubs like Silicon Valley, mistakes are perceived as an ordinary, normal occurrence—something that, without being trivialised, must be understood, processed, and used to improve.
In such an environment, the failure of a project is not seen as an indelible stain, but as a source of strength (and experience) from which to start anew, channelling all necessary energy into that decision-making duality to find the next way forward.
Perhaps this very awareness of the value of mistakes is one of the “secrets” that makes Silicon Valley a global benchmark for high technology and innovation.
