My bad.

This Latin phrase literally translates to “through my fault.” It is an acknowledgment of having done wrong.

I believe that if you can’t say meā culpā, building channels of clear communication, efficiently solving problems and building trust will be impossible.

We all mess up.

Yet this universally accepted piece of knowledge often fails to be translated into wisdom, which is applied knowledge, in our daily interactions.

Although we know the inescapable nature of human error, how often do we make saying “I’ve messed up” uncomfortable or taboo for others? When we put too much focus on wins, look at fails from the point of no return, an identified error as a stumble or fall in prestige, a reflection on someone’s understanding, a permanent black mark, we close off the potential for them to admit their mistakes.

Failing fast and failing often is commonly taught as a wise saying, but what benefit is failing often if we aren’t transparent in our shortcomings?

The value is not in the number of mistakes, but rather in the quick individual ownership of them and analysis to see what can be learned to increase efficiency in the future.