Rescue the Employee

Most people understand how insurance works. You can pay your premiums on time, follow the rules, and still eventually receive the dreaded letter that says your coverage is being canceled because of too many claims or too many mistakes. The workplace can become very similar. An employee may work long hours, take on difficult assignments, try to solve problems, and carry heavy responsibility. Somewhere along the way, mistakes happen. A deadline gets missed. A decision does not work out. Communication falls short. Then leadership begins asking the question: “Is it time to replace this person?”

The challenge for leaders is that the employees making the most mistakes are often the same employees attempting to accomplish the most. In coaching, the quarterback who throws interceptions is usually also the quarterback trying to make plays. The assistant coach who occasionally forgets something may also be the one organizing camps, handling travel, calling recruits, and solving problems behind the scenes. In business, the employee with scratches on the company truck may be the same employee driving across the state building relationships, recruiting clients, and creating opportunities.

Meanwhile, there are always people who rarely make mistakes because they rarely step outside their comfort zone. They avoid responsibility. They avoid difficult assignments. They stay hidden from pressure and accountability. They become experts at protecting themselves instead of helping move the organization forward.

Now, this does not mean leaders should ignore carelessness, dishonesty, laziness, or destructive behavior. At some point, every organization has to make difficult decisions. There are times when replacing someone is necessary for the overall health of the team.

However, leadership is a slippery slope. Some leaders become so focused on eliminating mistakes that they unintentionally eliminate initiative, creativity, and effort. Employees eventually stop trying because they become afraid every mistake may cost them their future.

I have learned through the years that I would rather work with someone who occasionally makes mistakes while trying to move the train forward than someone hiding in the closet avoiding work altogether. The best organizations are not built by perfect people. They are built by people willing to work, learn, adjust, and grow.

Thought for the Week, “A leader’s job is not simply to remove mistakes. Sometimes the greatest leadership comes from rescuing and developing the employee behind the mistake.” Jack Welch

Dr. Jack Welch serves as President of Fort Scott Community College. With a career spanning professional sports, public education, and rural community development, he brings a servant-leader mindset and a passion for building trust-driven cultures that empower people to thrive in the classroom, on the field, and in life. He is also the author of Foundations of Coaching: The Total Coaching Manual.