Overcoming Mindset Blocks to Learn from Mistakes as a PIO

Mistakes, I’ve made a few. Or so the song goes. Anyone who has seen me speak at conferences will know I’m front and center with opening up about the mistakes I’ve made.

The reason I do this is because it’s important for us to own our mistakes, but share them so we can help others to feel like it’s actually ok to make mistakes. Without mistakes how would we learn?

Read more about this in my book - The Frontline Communicator

As public safety communicators, learning from mistakes is crucial for improving the safety and security of the communities we serve. However, there are several common mindset blocks that can prevent us from effectively learning from our mistakes.

Being a PIO isn’t just about writing press releases and organizing press conferences. It’s so much more than that. There’s a lot to overcome and I do talk a lot about subjects such as imposter feelings and cognitive dissonance when I speak at conferences but there are also mindset blocks. It’s important to understand them so you can overcome them.

Here are five of them:

The Blame Game: Instead of taking responsibility for our mistakes, we blame external factors or other people. This mindset block prevents us from examining our own actions and identifying ways to improve.

Fear of Failure: When we are afraid of making mistakes, we are less likely to take risks or try new things. However, taking calculated risks is often necessary in public safety, and mistakes can provide valuable opportunities for growth.

Perfectionism: If we believe that mistakes are unacceptable, we may become overly critical of ourselves and others. This mindset block can prevent us from recognizing the value of mistakes as learning opportunities.

Black-and-White Thinking: This mindset block involves seeing things in terms of absolutes, such as success or failure, right or wrong. However, in public safety, there are often shades of gray, and mistakes can be part of a larger learning process.

Lack of Self-Awareness: If we are not aware of our own biases, assumptions, and blind spots, we may not recognize when we have made a mistake or the potential impact of our actions. This mindset block can prevent us from learning and growing as public safety professionals.

To overcome these mindset blocks, we need to adopt a growth mindset that recognizes the value of mistakes as opportunities for learning and improvement. This means taking responsibility for our actions, embracing the potential of calculated risks, and recognizing that mistakes are part of the learning process. By developing self-awareness and avoiding black-and-white thinking and perfectionism, we can become more effective communicators and public safety professionals.

Adopting a growth mindset requires intentional effort and practice. One way to start is by reframing mistakes as learning opportunities and viewing challenges as opportunities to develop new skills. Embrace the idea that mistakes are not failures but rather a natural part of the learning process.

Practice self-reflection and seek feedback from others to identify areas for improvement. Focus on developing your skills and abilities rather than seeking validation or approval.

By adopting a growth mindset, you can cultivate a positive attitude towards learning and personal development, which will ultimately make you a more effective and successful public safety communicator.