W H E N Y O U M A K E A M I S TA K E 179 to the drawing board. Moreover, mistakes can damage reputations . . . both yours and the organization's. Resources are finite and should not be wasted, regardless of where we work. If we are managers of a business, the owners and shareholders have an eye on reputation, market share, and the bottom line. If we are part of a nonprofit organization, an educational institution, or a medical facility, we have a responsibility to those who fund our operations to make effec- tive use of donations and other private or public monies. We also need to remember that doing something twice is always more costly than doing it right the first time. And having to do something three times is tough to forgive. Just as in baseball, three strikes and you are out. A Two-Part Analysis for Recovery Most of the time, we have the opportunity to address a mistake, find another solution, make a correction, and give it another try. We are also in a unique position to achieve a longer-term goal: to make sure similar mis- takes do not happen again. We need to take a candid look back at how the mistake happened and perform a two-part analysis: factual and personal. The factual, or practical, analysis requires us to understand the facts and take what some call a "deep dive" to examine the circumstances that led up to the mistake. Straightforward answers to some tough operational and management questions are the start. We start that process by collect- ing facts and digging as deeply as possible to make sure that there is noth- ing we have missed. The format for doing that from inside the business is to call on one or more of the following: Finance Operations Audit Legal You also might consider putting together a small team of respected managers who are vested with the authority to gather information and prepare an analysis. American Management Association / www.amanet.org