Celebrating 250 Episodes of the My Favorite Mistake Podcast

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This is a bonus episode of the My Favorite Mistake podcast, where host and producer Mark Graban reflects on 250 episodes of the series, sharing clips, reflections, including mistakes!

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Episode Summary

Embracing Mistakes in the Podcast World

The Birth of “My Favorite Mistake” Podcast

Podcasting has evolved into a medium that is both personal and widespread, offering content creators a platform to share their stories, expertise, and experiences with an engaged audience. In the summer of 2020, a time marked by the global pandemic, seasoned podcaster Mark Graban launched a fresh series titled “My Favorite Mistake.” This new endeavor emerged from the intersections of time, opportunity, and a background in another series known as Lean Blog Interviews. At its heart, “My Favorite Mistake” is a project rooted in a fascination with the art of learning from errors, fostered through conversations with a variety of guests, ranging from entrepreneurs to public figures, who discuss turning points shaped by their own missteps.

The inception of the podcast was ignited by a pitch from a public relations firm representing Kevin Harrington, a renowned entrepreneur from the first season of “Shark Tank.” Graban seized this opportunity not only to interview Harrington but also to carve out a niche that explored universally relatable themes. This approach solidified the podcast's foundation and led to its debut with Harrington and co-author Mark Timm sharing some of their illuminating pitfalls on the very first episode.

The Journey of Podcasting and Learning from Missteps

Podcast Title and SEO Challenges

Selecting the name for a podcast can be a pivotal decision with implications for its visibility and branding. “My Favorite Mistake” was chosen as an homage to the Sheryl Crow song of the same title, which carried a certain cleverness and memorability. However, it was not without its consequences for search engine optimization (SEO). This choice presented unique challenges as the podcast vied for attention in a virtual sea of content that included the prominent song. The learning curve involved with this creative decision offered Graban valuable insights into the balance between a catchy title and one optimized for search engines and directories like Apple Podcasts, where specificity and uniqueness might aid discoverability.

The Power of Podcasts to Capture and Learn from Life's Moments

Accepting and Reflecting on Mistakes

Graban advocates for a candid, unfiltered approach to content creation, choosing often not to edit out the minor mishaps that occur during recording. This authentic touch brings humanity to the medium and resonates with listeners who are likely navigating their own imperfections. In the series, guests are encouraged to share experiences that have shaped their personal and professional lives, illustrating the transformational potential of setbacks. For instance, Graban's raw and genuine reflections on the passing of a high school friend, captured in a blooper clip, punctuate the podcast with a poignant reminder of life's fragility and the value of embracing every moment, flawless or otherwise.

Learning from Prominent Voices

The podcast has featured influential voices such as former congressman Will Hurd and current US Representative Adam Smith, who shared their perspectives on confronting and learning from errors. These episodes, which can be found in the show's extensive archive, underscore the universality of mistakes across various spheres of influence. The inclusion of political figures exemplifies the show's reach and the integral role of the pre-call, a practice Graban has identified as crucial for adequately preparing guests and avoiding the lapse of leaving them unprepared to delve into their mistakes, thus enhancing the quality of the conversations and the overall listener experience.

Strengthening Connections and the Importance of Pre-Call Rituals

The Significance of Preparation in Podcast Guesting

Engaging with guests before an official recording, a strategy Graban emphasizes as essential, paves the way for a more seamless and meaningful exchange during the actual podcast. This pre-call ritual allows both host and interviewee to align their expectations, discuss the show's theme, and mitigate the probability of any on-air surprises that could detract from the aim of the podcast. Through this iterative learning process, continually refined with each episode, the show has honed its methods, ensuring that both guests and listeners can benefit most fruitfully from the experiences shared, whether they are amusing bloopers or profound lessons gleaned from life's unavoidable blunders.

The Intricacies and Impacts of Podcast Programming

Insights and Impact from Reflecting on Mistakes

Throughout the episodes of “My Favorite Mistake,” the host and guests delve into the treasures found within trials and tribulations. The podcast underlines the truth that one must rummage through past failures to unearth wisdom. Mark Graban, the host, ensures that each guest is given the space to ponder deeply about their errors, evident in the reflective silences that sometimes follow the titular question – “What's your favorite mistake?” This contemplative approach empowers guests to offer valuable life lessons and insights rather than just anecdotal errors.

The Nuance of Authenticity and Unscripted Discussions

While the format of the show leans into structure with pre-calls and preparation, the conversation during actual recordings maintains a level of spontaneity. The essence of this show is rooted in its genuine and unplanned moments. As demonstrated in an episode with a notable political figure, when the host was corrected on-air about an election misunderstanding, it spotlighted authenticity. Graban's decision not to edit such instances, but instead leverage them as examples of human frailty and learning opportunities, has become a hallmark of the podcast.

Continuous Improvement and Reflection

Evolving Through Listener and Creator Growth

Each episode acts as a feedback loop for growth, both for the listeners who gain from the shared experiences and for Graban who seeks to refine the podcast's process and execution. The coffee mug mantras mentioned by the host serve as a personal reminder to remain kind, patient, and resilient in the face of mistakes, and this philosophy radiates through the show. It’s not just the guests who are on a journey of continuous improvement – it's also a central thread for the host and the podcast as an evolving entity.

Guest Diversity and Reflecting the Audience

A key focus for “My Favorite Mistake” is diversity, ensuring that the array of guests mirrors the variety within its audience. Achieving gender balance and seeking increased representation of people of color have been significant goals for the podcast. Beyond the numbers, the host seeks to expand the show's global footprint and build a lineup that showcases an even broader array of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. With this commitment to inclusivity, the podcast aims to resonate with listeners from all walks of life.

Leveraging Past Wisdom for Future Episodes

Learning from Youthful Innovators and Seasoned Experts

Guests such as Sofie Roux, who at her young age has already navigated through remarkable challenges, and the venerable Tom Peters, whose breadth of life’s work and mistakes could fill a series of their own, add to the rich tapestry of the show. These stories exemplify the podcast's goal of revealing the multitude of ways mistakes shape us, regardless of our age or stage in life.

Moving Forward with Reflections and Updates

Graban’s initiative of reconnecting with past guests provides an additional layer of depth as they offer retrospectives and updates on their journeys after originally sharing their stories on the podcast. This ongoing dialogue not only enriches the original episodes but also acts as an inspiring follow-up for listeners who may be navigating similar hurdles in their own lives.

Continuing the Conversation

With much achieved, the host expresses a keen desire to continue the conversations, build on the podcast's successes, and bring more stories to the fore. “My Favorite Mistake” looks ahead, with anticipation for the untold stories it seeks to share, the diverse voices it aims to amplify, and the countless lessons it will continue to manifest from the simple yet profound act of embracing our favorite mistakes.

Fostering Psychological Safety and Continuous Learning

Embracing Vulnerability Through Sharing

The podcast “My Favorite Mistake” aligns closely with themes from Harvard professor Amy Edmondson's work on psychological safety. By encouraging guests to speak openly about their missteps, the show creates an environment ripe for vulnerability and subsequently, learning. Edmondson's research indicates that teams perform better when members feel safe to take risks and voice their opinions without fear of negative repercussions. The podcast echoes this sentiment, highlighting the concept that mistakes are not only inevitable but integral stepping stones to innovation and personal development.

Lessons in Leadership: From Acknowledgment to Action

When guests recount their favorite mistakes, they not only acknowledge errors but exemplify cogent leadership through their actions post-mistake. Holding oneself accountable openly sets a precedent for others, signaling that the path to improvement is paved with the bricks of past errors. The podcast consistently puts forth examples where leaders have not only weathered their mistakes but have become advocates for change, strengthening their resolve to prevent recurrence and inspire their teams to do the same.

The Impact of Storytelling on Organizational Culture

Creating a Narrative Around Fails and Wins

As the podcast delves into the narratives of various leaders and entrepreneurs, it underlines the power of storytelling in shaping an organization's culture. Stories of mistakes followed by redemption or learning have the unique ability to resonate with individuals at all levels within a company. They contribute to building a culture that values honesty and continuous improvement over the concealment of errors out of fear or shame.

The Role of Storytelling in Change Management

One cannot overlook the role that sharing these mistake-laden stories plays in change management. By hearing from others who have faced similar challenges, listeners are equipped with the mental tools to navigate organizational changes. In particular, the podcast illuminates the human aspects of change management, like resilience and adaptability, which are as important as any strategy or plan.

The Interconnectivity of Mistakes and Innovation

Encouraging a Growth Mindset

Promoting a podcast theme centered on the constructive aspects of mistakes enhances the notion of a growth mindset. The willingness to share and dissect mistakes is indicative of a mentality that views challenges as opportunities for growth. This perspective is not only necessary for personal development but is also a key driver of innovation in any field.

Innovating Through Trials

Across various sectors, innovation often springs from a cycle of trying, erring, and refining. The narratives shared through ‘My Favorite Mistake' demonstrate that whether it's product development, consulting, or writing, the journey is replete with hurdles that, although sometimes costly, often lead to breakthrough amenities and methodologies.

In summary, the podcast not only creates a treasure trove of anecdotes but also serves as a microcosm for the broader virtues of openness, resilience, and a progressive mindset in personal and organizational contexts. By extracting the wisdom from missteps and boldly moving forward, ‘My Favorite Mistake' continues to inspire listeners to embrace their own journeys of lifelong learning and transformation.

Emphasizing the Four Stages of Psychological Safety

Building Blocks for an Inclusive Workplace

Timothy R. Clark's influential work on the four stages of psychological safety provides a framework for fostering an environment where employees feel included, safe to learn, safe to contribute, and safe to challenge the status quo—without fear of embarrassment or retribution. Each stage builds upon the previous one, culminating in a culture that fully harnesses the diverse perspectives and abilities of its team members. Implementing these stages is critical in the journey towards achieving a thriving, innovative workplace.

Cultivating a Fearless Culture

Inclusion Safety: Addressing the basic human need to connect and belong.
Learner Safety: Empowering individuals to engage in the discovery process, ask questions, and experiment.
Contributor Safety: Validating employees’ abilities and potential to make meaningful contributions.
Challenger Safety: Encouraging the questioning of the status quo and pushing for necessary change.

Cultivating these levels of safety can significantly enhance team engagement and collaboration, thereby elevating performance across the organization.

Resources for Continual Growth: Mistakesbook.com

Interactive Learning and Accessibility

An integral part of the continuous learning process is having access to resources that allow individuals to delve deeper into the subject of psychological safety and the benefits of learning from mistakes. The availability of a free chapter preview at mistakesbook.com offers an accessible entry point for those interested in exploring these concepts further. It serves as an invitation to join the conversation on learning from errors and nurturing growth.

Connecting With Expertise

For organizations and individuals seeking personalized guidance on how to integrate these principles into their practices, there is an open invitation to reach out for coaching or advice. Making expert assistance readily available permits a tailored approach to embedding psychological safety within diverse organizational structures by addressing unique challenges and objectives.

Continuous Reflection and Improvement

The Iterative Process of Sharing Knowledge

As ‘My Favorite Mistake' continues to share valuable insights and stories, the ongoing reflection and adaptability demonstrated by the host are themselves lessons in humility and continuous improvement. The openness to update and expand upon episodes is a testament to the evolving nature of understanding and the willingness to refine one’s perspective. This approach embodies the essence of a learning culture that values the iterative process of knowledge sharing.

A Commitment to Resume Valuable Discussions

The podcast's aim to resume releasing interviews highlights a commitment to providing a steady stream of valuable discussions that support listeners on their journey to embracing mistakes and fostering change. The return to the typical format is highly anticipated, offering new opportunities for listeners to engage with the experiences and wisdom of a wide array of leaders and influencers.

In continuing the tradition of ‘My Favorite Mistake', both the host and the guests underscore the importance of lifelong learning and the dynamic interplay between recognizing one's vulnerabilities and striving towards excellence. This ongoing commitment assures the audience that there is much more to anticipate in terms of lessons, stories, and transformative ideas that have the power to reshape personal and organizational narratives for the better.

Automated Transcript (May Contain Mistakes)

Mark Graban:
Thank you for helping me figure out and working through the couple of little mistakes I made with this new technology I'm using to record these. I really appreciate it.

Krista Hughes:

Hey, what's your podcast about? Mistakes. We all if you don't make mistakes, then, oh, gosh, bless your heart.

Mark Graban:
And in the south, I know what that means. So we will leave it at that. That's the end of episode 40 with guest Krista Hughes. Hi, it's Mark Graban. Welcome to a bonus episode celebrating 250 episodes of the My Favorite Mistake podcast.

Mark Graban:
I'm going to do something a little different today. I'm going to share some reflections and some stories and a few clips. I'm going to take a few weeks off before coming back with more episodes and getting back into the rhythm of things. If you're new to the podcast, there's 250 great episodes. I encourage you to go check out that back catalog.

Mark Graban:
But I want to talk a little bit about how and why my favorite mistake started. I was the summer of 2020 pandemic times, not traveling for work, at home a lot. And I had been podcasting since 2006 with a different series called Lean Blog Interviews. It's about lean management. We touch on that in some of the episodes here on My Favorite Mistake.

Mark Graban:
And if you've been doing a podcast long enough, you start getting emails from PR firms, people pitching different guests. And I was pitched Kevin Harrington, one of the sharks from season one of Shark Tank, a PR firm, had reached out, and I thought, wow, I didn't know how to connect his story to the lean podcast. And I thought, well, I've got time on my hands. I'm doing some other podcasting work. Let me try to find a way to get Kevin Harrington onto Zoom and to meet him and to talk to him.

Mark Graban:
So I kind of bounced a few ideas back and forth. A very general business podcast. I've been really interested in the idea of learning from mistakes for a really long time. And so I thought, well, how about a podcast where we talk about mistakes and learning from them? And I thought of the Sheryl Crow song, My Favorite Mistake.

Mark Graban:
And then the PR firm thought it sounded great. Kevin Harrington thought it sounded great. And he and his co author Mark Timm were both guests on episode one. So here's a little listen into how it started. Well, hi.

Mark Graban:
Welcome to my favorite mistake. Your favorite mistake, Kevin?

Kevin Harrington:
Well, I'm going to go back. It was 30 years ago.
I made a big mistake. Okay. I made plenty since then, too. But I'll go back to one of the first big ones that I made.

Mark Graban:
So if you'd like to listen to Kevin's full story, scroll down to episode one or go to markgraban.com/mistake1. Kevin, like a lot of guests, admits, I make mistakes all the time. I make mistakes all the time, not just as a podcast host and producer. I make mistakes all the time. I try to learn from them.

Mark Graban:
I try not to be too hard on myself. That's a journey. I'm still working on that now. As I think back, I do think the podcast title, my favorite mistake was a mistake, like maybe too clever by half, an homage to the Sheryl Crow song. It has a ring to it.

Mark Graban:
But if you go and search Spotify or Apple podcasts, well, Apple Podcasts is different. That's a little mistake. But if you're searching for my favorite mistake, the Sheryl Crowesong dominates the search results, as it should. If you search “my favorite mistake podcast,” or if you're searching in a podcast only directory like Apple, you'll find my, you know, maybe, maybe I should have called it our favorite mistakes would have been a little bit better from an SEO standpoint, a search engine optimization standpoint. But I try to learn from my mistakes.

Mark Graban:
I'm going to tell some other stories. Sometimes a mistake is just a blooper. And I'm going to share a clip, an episode with an old friend of mine going back to high school, Mark Teich. He was on the podcast very late 2020. Sadly, this is also ending up to be the in memorium section of this podcast because Mark sadly passed away in the middle of 2021.

Mark Graban:
Learned pretty shortly after recording the podcast that he had cancer and he passed away way too young. But boy, I'm glad to have that episode. And better yet, here's a little blooper clip of me attempting to start that episode. Well, hi, everybody. Welcome to my favorite mistake.

Mark Graban:
I'm Mark Graban. Really excited today. I'm joined by another Mike.

So hearing Mark's laugh, his cackle or guffaw there, why that warms my heart. We miss you, Mark.

Mark Graban:
Now, I've learned over time to accept my mistakes. Maybe this is laziness. I generally don't edit them out unless like at the very beginning of a podcast episode, if I flub something up, I'll go back and do a take two. But life's too short to spend too much time editing out every little flaw or mistake or thing. So I'm going to do that today.

Mark Graban:
If I make a little mistake, I'm going to just leave it in here. I do try to learn from other mistakes which I will come back to and talk about there in a second. But thinking back to again some of the themes over 250 episodes, I was really surprised, happily surprised. I had reached out thinking about episode two, Congressman Will Hurd, a US representative from Texas. I had met Will.

Mark Graban:
He was good friends with a neighbor and a friend of mine from back when I lived in San Antonio. I reached out to his press office and I thought, well, the answer is probably going to be no. But quoting Michael Scott, quoting Wayne Gretzky, “you miss 100% of the shots you don't take.” And his press communications team said yes. He was already on his way out of office.

Mark Graban:
He'd announced he wasn't running for reelection in 2020, so he's on the podcast. My first of two members of Congress who were on the show. Here's a short clip from will heard. I am thrilled and honored to be joined today by Congressman Will Hurd. He's a Republican currently representing Texas's 23rd congressional district.

Rep. Will Hurd:
It's a pleasure to be on this podcast, and it may be short because I've never made a mistake in my life. No, I'm just playing. This is a great concept, and I appreciate the opportunity to come on.

Mark Graban:
Thinking back, what would you consider to be your favorite mistake, if you will?

Rep. Will Hurd:
I don't know if I was favorite. Because I learned from it, but if I would have known in advance, I wouldn't have done it right. It involves my first run for Congress.

Mark Graban:
In 2009, you can find Will Hurd's episode markgraban.com.mistake2. Will was briefly a presidential candidate for the republican primary. I don't know if he would say that was a mistake. He didn't last very long. And, well, maybe I can get a follow up episode with him someday.

Mark Graban:
But then people ask, well, how do you find guests? Sometimes it's PR firms reaching out to me. Sometimes it's reaching out to people I know or have a connection to through my network. One of the guests that came to me through a PR outreach to me was late 2023. Another, the second sitting member of Congress, Adam Smith, US Representative, a Democrat from Washington state.

Mark Graban:
And here is a short clip from Representative Smith. My guest today. I'm really honored to be joined by Congressman Adam Smith. He represents the 9th district of the state of Washington. Here's a clip from a part of the interview where Representative Smith was talking about his own mental health and things that he has worked on over time.

Mark Graban:
And he shared some reflections about mistakes, dealing with them, accepting them, and getting better at that.

Rep. Adam Smith:
My orientation is to see mistakes and work feverishly to correct them. But I was a little obsessive about that, and I was a little obsessive about not wanting to make those mistakes and if I made them, to try and correct them. And what the mental health professional really taught me was that there's a way to do that that is healthy and helpful.

Mark Graban:
So if you'd like to listen to the entire episode with Representative Adam Smith, go to markgraban.com/Mistake215. So I was happy that Representative Smith agreed to do a short pre call. As we call it. We connected by phone.

Mark Graban:
I've learned through this process it's a mistake to skip the pre call. I mean, I think with rare exceptions, if the congressman had said, no, I don't have time for that, or his office had said, I would have connected with him and done the episode, just sharing some prep with his team via email. But I learned along the way, if I made the pre call optional to even connect for five or ten minutes with the guest, that could lead to problems, especially, and I'm not picking on PR firms, but when I had a direct connection to the guest, usually they would understand the theme of the show. They would be prepared to think about me asking them, what's your favorite mistake? But with the PR firm go between, I had a couple of guests show up early on, and I could tell they were not prepared to answer that question.

Mark Graban:
It wasn't fair to them. It wasn't fair to me, it wasn't fair to the listener. They were blindsided by the question. And I've learned, and as you hear guests say, they needed to think about that question. They needed to reflect.

Mark Graban:
They needed to decide what's their favorite mistake. In fact, I wish I had account of the number of times different guests would say, quite literally, when I asked them, what's your favorite mistake? They'd say, oh, I really had to think about this. I've made so many. So I've learned, process wise, always do the pre call, with rare exception, always check the pronunciation of names.

Mark Graban:
I don't want to get that wrong in an introduction. And then it's just another part of the process here. Whether it's a mistake on my part or not, not knowing the story in advance is part of my approach. I want it to be an authentic conversation. For better or for worse.

Mark Graban:
I want to react authentically to the story. Now, sometimes that trips me up. I get a little blindsided. I don't know exactly how to react. I hope as a listener, that authenticity, if not awkwardness, is okay.

Mark Graban:
I'm going to share one other clip from the episode with Representative Smith, where I wasn't quite following the story. I made a mistake and he corrected me on it. Here's that clip.

So you didn't make it through the primary, is that correct?

Rep. Adam Smith:
Oh, no, I won.

Mark Graban:
Oh, you won the primary.

Rep. Adam Smith:
There never was a primary. And this is why it's my favorite mistake, that the plan absolutely blew up in my face. And the reason for it was I didn't know what I was getting into. Literally didn't know what I was getting into. But the thing I like about that is I think in life, that's frequently the case.

Rep. Adam Smith:
And what I really learned, I believe passionately in thinking about things. But I also have come to learn about the paralysis by analysis problem. You're never going to know for 100% certain if it's something meaningful, okay? If it's something you really want to accomplish in life, if you're waiting around for that moment that someone says, you're guaranteed it's going to happen, it ain't going to come.

Mark Graban:
All right, well, I decided not to edit that out in the name of making myself look better or sound better. I think it just goes to show again, as I demonstrate all the time, I make mistakes. We're all human. I make mistakes. I try to remind myself, I've got a set of mantras on a coffee mug that I made.

Mark Graban:
It's got the podcast logo on one side, and the side I tend to hold has these words on it. Be kind to yourself. Nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes. The important thing is continuing to learn from our mistakes.

Mark Graban:
And I look at that mug, I remind myself to be kind, to be constructive when I make a mistake. If it's a slip up, laugh it off, life goes on. If it's a process mistake, I can try to figure out how to correct that and not repeat that mistake going forward. So on the podcast, 250 episodes, we can categorize the different guests in different ways. We've had a lot of founders of companies, CEOs, doctors and other healthcare professionals, retired pro athletes, entertainers.

Mark Graban:
It's a really interesting mix of people. Starting this podcast, one thing that was very important to me was diversity and having guests that reflect a diverse listening audience. So 250 episodes, 50% of those guests have been women. That was my goal, and I've been able to hold to that 18%, people of color as guests. That's a little bit lower than my aim, but I'm going to keep working on that and look for more international guests and more guests from different communities.

Mark Graban:
So I'm looking forward to more of those conversations. And again, more podcasts to come. Part of that diversity is in age. My youngest guest, I'm going to play a clip here was Sofie Roux. She is a college student, but she's accomplished so much that she's, of course, made mistakes and learned from them.

Mark Graban:
So here's a short clip with Sofie.

Sofie Roux:
Months of work. My biggest hopes and dreams for this, like, everyone's collaborative efforts, $80,000 worth of technology was kind of just dangling in midair, and it was kind of wobbling back and forth like this. And in that moment, the crane chain snapped and the lab came smashing down, luckily, onto the bed of the other truck. But it smashed the bed, and the cab of the truck went up. We all were just standing there in what was now a dark night on a busy highway, thinking that maybe we had lost everything.

Sofie Roux:
So I guess that was my biggest mistake, but it was also my favorite mistake. I think that's what this podcast is about, because I hadn't accounted for something important. I think it takes a lot of courage to speak up when you think something is going wrong, and I often try to do that in my daily life.

Mark Graban:
If you'd like to hear the entire conversation with Sofie Roux, you can find that in episode 236, markgraban.com.mistake236. I believe the oldest guest that I've had on my favorite mistake is Tom Peters, the legendary author, thinker, management consultant. Right. About 80 years old. He's now 81.

Mark Graban:
My mistake for not going and doing that math. Exactly. Very lively and spirited discussion with Tom Peters. I've gotten to interview him a couple of times on my lean podcast. It's always a joy.

Mark Graban:
Here's a short clip with Tom.

Tom Peters:
I'm going to have problems with your basic thesis because I've made so many mistakes that ranking them all is going to. Yeah, I presume we've got a minimum of an hour and a half, right?

Mark Graban:
We can make this a series, maybe.

Tom Peters:
Yeah, make it a series. Absolutely.

Mark Graban:
So there's a fun variation on the opening gambit of, hey, I really had to think about this. I've made too many mistakes. It was hard to choose just one. But I'm glad guests have done that. It's really been a lot of fun, starting with Kevin Harrington.

Mark Graban:
Representative Will Hurd. I didn't know how many people would be willing to come on a podcast and tell a story about a mistake. And these have been really good stories where people, they're not doing the job interview question thing where they're asked, what would you say your biggest weakness? And somebody refuses to admit a weakness. It's some sort of strength, like, oh, I work too hard and I'm too accomplished.

Mark Graban:
Really. Nobody danced around that question of what's your favorite mistake of telling something that was only a success story. They're telling a story about something maybe not their biggest mistake, and that's not the question I'm asking them. Sometimes their favorite mistake is their biggest mistake. But enough time has passed where they can think about it, they can talk about it, they can reflect, they can share how they grew, what they learned, how they avoided repeating the mistake.

Mark Graban:
That's the arc, and I think the positive nature of framing it in terms of a favorite mistake, the redemption that comes in the aftermath of a mistake, we can choose to learn, we can choose to make something positive out of what we are living through. So many great episodes. I'm often a guest on podcasts, and it's natural people will ask me about a favorite mistake. I've got a lot of them. A few go to stories.

Mark Graban:
You can hear those on other podcasts. And in my book, I haven't mentioned the book yet. Maybe that's a mistake. The book that was an offshoot of the podcast, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation. Some of my stories are in that book, but if it's hard to choose a favorite mistake, it's impossible to choose a favorite episode.

Mark Graban:
I do dance around that question, I guess, if people ask me, and a lot of times I'll go back to Kevin Harrington because he was the first. He set a great example in that first episode, as did Mark Timm.. mentioning the congressmen. I think that's just very cool to be able to talk one on one with a member of Congress that way. So again, I hope you'll check out those different episodes, and I hope you'll keep listening and be excited about what's to come. So the final thing I'm going to do here is share some clips and updates.

Mark Graban:
I reached out to previous guests to share their reflections. Some of them have a new book that's come out since they were a guest on the show, and I'm going to play some of those clips that they submitted here. Here's a clip from episode 175 with Janet Polach. She is a retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel, and you can find her episode markgraban.com/mistake175. Hi, Mark.

Janet Polach:
And congratulations on 250 episodes. It is amazing. What a milestone. Thank you for the great work you've done over the years to help uncover mistakes that people have made and how they've lived through them. And as I look back at the mistake that I shared, it really was a learning experience for me.

Janet Polach:
It was something I never felt very comfortable with sharing with other people because it was kind of an embarrassing situation. And yet I found that it was very revealing. I discovered by sharing with you in such, your easygoing and conversational manner that I was able to come to realization that I learned a lot from that mistake and that I moved forward and I'm in a lot better place. So thank you again for the work that you're doing. Thank you for the opportunity to be a guest.

Janet Polach:
I've enjoyed your book immensely and I wish you continued success. Take care.

Mark Graban:
Next is a clip from David Meier, the founder and distiller at Glens Creek Distilling, formerly of Toyota, formerly a consultant in the types of lean management work that I've been doing. Here's David.

David Meier:
Hey, Mark. David here from episode number 94, August 15, 2021. Man, who can believe that long ago? Anyway, congratulations on episode 250. Man, that's awesome.

David Meier:
In my episode, we talked about what do we learn from the mistake, $8 million cost. So we reflected on that for sure. And we deal with mistakes here every day we're making mistakes and we work to error proof or mistake proof those things, but we're still human. Such a great idea of yours to make a whole thing about how we make mistakes, because it's one thing we all have in common. Isn't it common saying at Toyota whenever a mistake occurs is the only failure, is the failure to learn?

David Meier:
So what did we learn today? And I am looking forward to the next time, episode 500, when I have to share a video and what's going on. So David the distiller signing off here.

Mark Graban:
Next is a clip and an update from episode 216 guest, my book coach for my last two book projects, Cathy Fyock.

Cathy Fyock:
Hey there, Mark, it's Cathy Fyock here, the business book strategist. And I just wanted to congratulate you on 250 episodes. Wow, what an impressive milestone. I also wanted to congratulate you on your book. I know it's not brand new anymore, but I am so delighted with your new book.

Cathy Fyock:
It was such a pleasure to work with you as your book coach on this fabulous book that summarized some of the most memorable lessons that you learned from your podcast. Since being on your program, I have published yet another book myself. I'm the author of Writer Crisis Hotline with my colleague Allie Pleiter and it's a book that explores some of the greatest obstacles that authors face and provides strategies for dealing with those. Since being on your program, I've been thinking about what I learned from that experience and what I realized in looking back at all my mistakes was that from each mistake has really created an opportunity to learn, to grow and was a really great experience. So thank you so much for this opportunity.

Cathy Fyock:
Congratulations once again and I can hardly wait to see what your next chapter will bring. Thanks, Mark.

Mark Graban:
And here's a clip from my guest in episode 141, Ellen Patnaude. She is a coach and author. Here's Ellen.

Ellen Patnaude:
Hey Mark, Congratulations on 250 episodes of your favorite mistake. What a great show. I'm so honored to have been part of it a couple of years ago now, I think so. My favorite mistake was about assumptions, making assumptions. I've made so many of them along the way and at times continue to do so.

Ellen Patnaude:
I put out a book in October of 2022 cataloging a lot of those mistakes and organizing them according to type of assumption. Over the last year or so, I've been thinking a lot about assumptions we make around caregiving about caregivers themselves. David here from there, a myriad of them. But also as a workplace, what sort of assumptions are we making about caregivers and the kind of support that they need?

Ellen Patnaude:
Anyway, congratulations. Awesome.

Ellen Patnaude:
So I've got another book coming out on Mother's Day about my journey navigating caregiving for my mother as she suffers from that dementia, ultimately passing away in 20. And that I see a lot of other people making is thinking that there is the right way to be a caregiver and that we shouldn't be talking.

Ellen Patnaude
About great idea of yours, too.

Ellen Patnaude:
We shouldn't be talking about the kind of support that we need. And I think that's a mistake. I think our workplaces are making mistakes by not opening this. It's the concept that keeps on giving, Mark. We learn from our failure when we're willing to acknowledge them and talk about them.

Ellen Patnaude:
Congratulations again on your 250th episode, and thanks for letting me be forward to.

Mark Graban:
Now, here's some thoughts from my guest in episode 105. Andrea Jones., Andrea Jones Consulting.

Andrea Jones:
Every year, my Vistage chair has us go through this exercise that she calls the elephant and the owl. The elephant is your favorite mistake of the year, and the owl is your wisest move. Last December for 2023, my favorite mistake was putting myself into a project for six months. Even though it wasn't a lot of hours billable per se, it still took a lot of my mind share and took me away from doing more important things for the business. And I have learned a lot and am challenging myself to not do it again.

Mark Graban:
Next is a clip from Adam Lawrence. He joined me in episode 41. He is a consultant and author. Here's Adam.

Adam Lawrence:
Hey Mark. Adam Lawrence with Process Improvement Partners here to congratulate you on 250 awesome episodes of my favorite mistake. I had the great honor to be on episode 41 just a little over three years ago with you talking about the mistake I made trying to secure leadership commitment during a Kaizen event many, many years ago, which almost led to my termination from my larger company I was working for at the time. So definitely learned a lot from that and definitely also learned a lot just talking to you about it. It helped me continue to think more intentionally about how to secure a leadership commitment to guarantee winning experiences for teams.

Adam Lawrence:
So once again, congratulations. Appreciate you letting me participate and also learn from the many, many great guests you've had and learn from their mistakes so that I didn't have to make them as well. Best to you. And here's to many more great mistakes to share.

Mark Graban:
And finally a clip from dear friend of mine, Karyn Ross. She was the guest for episode three of the podcast. Karyn was a great help in developing those mantras for the coffee mug. Whether she realized she was helping me with that or not, I'll give her credit there. She helped me quite a bit with the book the mistakes that make us, helping me understand better the difference between a nice reaction to mistakes and a kind reaction.

Mark Graban:
One of Karen's books is called The Kind Leader. There's a video clip of Karen. She's going to talk about a suitcase that she talked about in her favorite mistakes story. If you want the visual of that, you can go to YouTube. I'll put a link to the video in the show notes if you want to see this bag that she's talking about.

Karyn Ross:
Hey, everyone, it's Karyn Ross from episode three of my favorite mistake podcast. And I'm just catching you up on all the things that have been going on since. Isn't that a long time ago? Episode three? And now it's episode 250.

Karyn Ross:
Well, I wanted to say that on the first episode I made a mistake. The mistake is I didn't actually show you my lovely suitcase that I was talking about. So here it is. And I still travel with it all the time and people stop me all the time and say how beautiful it is and how much they love it. And every time they stop me, I have a chance to give them one of our loving kindness buttons.

Karyn Ross:
And actually, we have some new ones out, and I thought I would just tell you a little bit about this. It's our 50 States of Kindness project, and we're teaming up with Ashlyn Drash, and she's a contestant for Miss Illinois, and we're working with her to spread kindness in all 50 states. So if you would like two of these lovely, let me see if I have another one I can show you closer. Two of these lovely kindness reigns supreme buttons. All you need to do is send us a note through our website at www.loveandkindnessproject.org.

Karyn Ross:
With the state you're in, the kindness that you did or received, and we're going to send you two of these buttons, one to keep and one to give away to someone else who's doing a kindness. And that's what we've been up to. Lots of great things. And one more mistake I tell you about before I give this back over to Mark is that my tripod, my little tripod that I did my videos with broke, and I didn't get another one. So this is all handheld.

Karyn Ross:
And you know what? That's okay. Because the most important thing is to be kind to others. And in learning to be kind to others and forgiving them for the mistakes they make, and being empathetic and compassionate and treating them with kindness, the thing you're going to learn is to be kind to yourself. Because truth is all it is, is a mistake.

Karyn Ross:
All right, that's it for now. Back over to Mark.

Mark Graban:
So again, I want to thank all of my guests. 250 episodes. So many great stories, so many great reflections about learning from mistakes as individuals, learning about mistakes in organizations. That's such an important topic, I think, and it's a real passion of mine. So I really look forward to asking many more people that key question, what's your favorite mistake?

Mark Graban:
Thank you for listening. If you have a story you'd like to tell, you can reach out to me via email. Mark@markgraban.com. If you're a regular listener, please tell a friend about the podcast. Please rate and review. Please share episodes on social media.

Mark Graban:
That would be a huge help. And if you'd like to check out my book that was released the middle of 2023, it really incorporates a lot of stories from the podcast guests, some of my own stories and lessons from my career, lessons from the practice of psychological safety, as we've talked about in some episodes with Amy Edmondson, Harvard professor and author of great books, including her most recent book, Right Kind of Wrong. We've talked about psychological safety with Timothy R. Clark, the author of The Four Stages of Psychological Safety. They've really deeply influenced me in how I think about and talk about psychological safety, how I coach people on that.

Mark Graban:
And there's so much more. Hopefully great lessons in the book, the mistakes that make us. You can learn more about the book mistakesbook.com. You can download a free chapter, a free preview by going to mistakesbook.com/chapter. And if these topics about learning from mistakes is something you'd want to talk about one on one, not to be recorded for an episode, feel free to reach out.

Mark Graban:
If there are things I could do to help your organization on this journey again, please reach out to me. Mark@markgraban.com so those are my reflections. After I publish this, I will inevitably think of a clip I wish I'd shared or some other story or reflection that I coulda, woulda, shoulda told. It goes, I can always update the episode if I have more to share, but I'm going to get back in the rhythm soon of releasing the typical interviews. So again, thank you for listening.

Mark Graban:
Whether this is your first time, you've listened all 250 or somewhere in between. Thanks again.

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