The Culture of Error
Güncelleme tarihi: 6 Eyl
In the year he was promoted to chief engineer at the Edison Illuminating Company, Henry—who would finally find the time and money to devote to his interest in diesel engines—would complete his first vehicle in 1896, three years after he began his experiments, naming it the Quadricycle, or simply put; a four-wheeled bicycle.
His boss, Thomas Edison, who was aware of his passion for automobile production and wanted to meet him in person, encourages this young man to continue his experiments. However, two years after this meeting, having finished his second automobile design, Henry resigns from the Edison Illuminating Company and founds the Detroit Automobile Company with the backing of an investor he had met.
You have all undoubtedly heard the name Henry Ford, perhaps the very first person that comes to mind when automobiles are mentioned, but you have probably never heard of the Detroit Automobile Company. Because this company, Henry Ford's first venture, went bankrupt within two years.
The reason was that this automobile produced by Ford cost far more than people were willing to pay. Scarcely four months had passed since the company's bankruptcy when Henry completed a new automobile design free of his past mistakes. He thought that this time he would achieve success. Bolstered by some new investors added to the old ones, he founded the Henry Ford Company this time, mere months—just 5 months—after his bankruptcy.
However, what was about to happen was not among Henry's plans. The board of directors decided to bring in an experienced engineer named Henry Leland as a consultant to the company. What do you suppose was the first act of this individual, who also had knowledge about automobiles? To criticize Henry Ford's engine design and persuade the board of directors to change this design. Unable to accept the situation, Henry decided to leave the company bearing his name. After he left, they even changed the company's name: the Cadillac Automobile Company!
Not even a year had passed since the incident when Henry was at it again, founding an automobile company for the third time with a new investor he had met: Ford & Malcomson Limited. A modest factory was rented, and a host of parts was ordered this time to begin the production of a low-cost automobile. From whom, you ask? From a company called the Dodge Brothers...
But Henry's ill fortune did not smile upon him once again. An economic crisis was blowing across the country, sales were sluggish, and the Dodge Brothers were demanding the first installment of their debt. There was not enough money in the treasury to make the payment. On the horizon, for a third time, yet another bankruptcy was looming.
Once again, new investors were sought. This time, the investors were practically Malcomson's neighbors; even his secretary had chipped in money and become a partner in the company. The Dodge Brothers, who were offered shares in the company in exchange for their debts, were also persuaded. The company's name was going to change once more: the Ford Motor Company. The company we know today and simply call FORD.
In his book That Is My Life and Work – The New Responsibilities of a Business Person, which is a compilation of Bulent Eczacibasi's conversations with his friends, Yilmaz Arguden states that the culture regarding how society approaches mistakes—in today's terms, the culture of error—is very critical. He adds that while in our society, a person who has gone bankrupt just once is looked upon with the attitude of 'no good will ever come of that man,' in Silicon Valley, a person who has failed three times is much more sought after—especially if they can explain why they failed those ventures and what lessons they learned from those experiences.
According to an article published by the World Economic Forum, failure is the default destiny of every startup. Globally, 90% of startups that have not received investment and 75% of those that have end in failure. But failure does not always mean losing.
A term called 'flawsome' has emerged in English. Formed by combining 'flaw,' meaning defect, with 'awesome,' meaning magnificent, it is used to mean 'magnificently flawed.' By nature, people struggle to connect with individuals who act as if they have no weak or flawed sides whatsoever. In other words, people do not expect you to be flawless. On the contrary, people find those who are flawsome—those who manage to be magnificent despite their mistakes, accept their imperfections, show empathy, and approach events with humor—much more sincere. The same applies to the business world and even to brands.
In his article in Dunya Newspaper, Hakan Okay mentions that firing, reassigning, or punishing the person who made a mistake will not prevent future errors. The crucial point is not to find out who made the mistake, but to analyze why the mistake occurred.
You have to start by accepting that things can always go wrong and that it is completely impossible to prevent this entirely.
References
[1] A Rip in the Sea: New Responsibilities for Business, Bulent Eczacibasi
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