The Mistake Bank idea came out of trying to create a story library of mistakes that people could consult when they underwent some change--say, a large investment, a new company, a new job, etc. And where people who were retiring could leave a bit of a legacy. Now that it's in place and starting to grow, I'm finding, not surprisingly, that there are all sorts of interesting side benefits as well.
Average rating:
5 out of 5
Rating Snapshot
(15 reviews)
5 stars
15
4 stars
0
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Customer Reviews for The Mistake Bank
55
Why did.nt someone think of this long ago
Reviewed September 27, 2008
by
Bosco
To think that there is a web site on which you can look and learn from other peoples mistake is a simple idea, but just like the wheel... brillant. Well done to all concerned
Share this Review:
Review 2 for The Mistake Bank
55
Just what we need
Reviewed September 27, 2008
by
woodsmomfrom NY
Since I joined the Mistake Bank and started reading about the valuable blunders of other people I keep finding myself in moments of solitary reflection thinking what mistake I will write about next. In the process I've been discovering the benefits of mistakes I have long thought of as having no value. Like a lot of people, I think I have always thought of mistakes as things to keep secret and occasionally cringe at the the thought of, and that's not a healthy way to think, for one person or for a whole society. Especially in professional life mistakes are hugely undervalued. The idea of the Mistake Bank is a wonderful and needed one, and I hope it grows by leaps and bounds.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 3 for The Mistake Bank
55
What? Me Worry?
Reviewed September 26, 2008
by
Timberryfrom Eugene, OR
I think real people learn through stories, and, for whatever reasons, we learn a lot through the negative. Watch yourself when you sit with a stranger on a plane ... it's easier to talk about what's wrong than what's right. Am I right? That's how we learn. And the mistake bank is built for that. Use it, learn from it, add to it ... what -- you've never made a mistake?
Share this Review:
Review 4 for The Mistake Bank
55
Hurray for The Mistake Bank
Reviewed September 26, 2008
by
BemBemfrom Amsterdam, Netherlands
When trying to improve, organisations almost always look at 'best practices', which they try to copy to get successful too. Of course these efforts usually fail, as the new context differs from the old one. Plus that copy cat behaviour gets mediocricy at best. A much, MUCH better way to learn and to get inspiration is by thinking over mistakes. And the Mistake Bank is the very first global online community where people do exactly that. Here, people come together to tell and listen to stories about the mistakes people made themselves or saw being made by others. Brilliant concept! I sincerely recommend The Mistake Bank: http://mistakebank.ning.com/.
Share this Review:
Review 5 for The Mistake Bank
55
Great idea
Reviewed September 26, 2008
by
DeltaPhifrom Boston
The idea of sharing mistakes seems intiutively obvious once it was mentioned. One of the main components of experience is seeing how things can go wrong and making plans to deal with issues that may pop up. The Mistake Bank accelerates that process, many times i have read an entry and felt myself shaking my head in agreement, either having lived the same issue or seeing how one could have gotten ahead of the issue and mitigated the problem.
Share this Review:
Review 6 for The Mistake Bank
55
Some other input on The Mistake Bank
Reviewed September 10, 2008
by
jmcaddellfrom Harrisburg, PA
Hi, I'm the site administrator for The Mistake Bank. One thing I neglected to put into the application was that several dozen people (besides me) have blogged, Tweeted or otherwise discussed The Mistake Bank out in the Groundswell. Here is a list of bookmarks I've collected on del.icio.us: http://delicious.com/jmcaddell/mistakebank. I hope it's OK that I gave the site a 5 star review. Everyone knows I'm not an objective reviewer, right?
Share this Review:
Review 7 for The Mistake Bank
55
The professional confessional?
Reviewed September 8, 2008
by
SerenaJfrom Sydney, Australia
As soon as I heard about The Mistake Bank I couldn't wait to check it out. It's been apparent for years that trying to spread best practice is fighting humanity's natural instinct to tell, and *remember* cautionary tales. The cool thing is that there is so much more to gain in sharing your mistakes than just the warm feeling that someone might learn from where you went wrong. The self-reflection invloved in recounting a tale (that lets face it, you probably wouldn't gush about at a job interview) reinforces lessons learned and brings a greater self-awareness. Pioneering business narrative group Anecdote.com.au put it this way: - Tell stories to hear stories, - Listen to stories to remember your stories. This is exactly what is going on at The Mistake Bank.
Share this Review:
Review 8 for The Mistake Bank
55
What is a best practice?
Reviewed September 5, 2008
by
tonyj
Management guru's tell us to look for best practices, and to learn from benchmarking as best we can. If we are honest, we are always on the lookout to beg, borrow or steal any idea that will help us at work or at home. Mistakes are just best practices writ large. No one is immune. Mistake Bank reminds me of the simple old saying, "there but for the grace of God go I."
Share this Review:
Review 9 for The Mistake Bank
55
A Valuable Resource
Reviewed September 5, 2008
by
stellBfrom Broomfield, CO
You do not usually hear about people's failures - only their successes. As a fledgling entrepreneur I found it informative,(and refreshing!), to read about the mistakes of others. It has helped me to rid myself of my biggest entrepreneurial demon - perfectionism. My biggest mistake? Not discovering the Mistake Bank sooner. Thank you John and others!
Share this Review:
Review 10 for The Mistake Bank
55
Best ROI
Reviewed September 5, 2008
by
FrankieBfrom Switzerland
Sharing your mistake on the Mistake Bank is one of the wisest investments you can make. As William Wordsworth put it:“Wisdom is oft times nearer when we stoop than when we soar" - 'nuff said. Contribute and enjoy!
Share this Review:
Review 11 for The Mistake Bank
55
it's awesomeness with potential
Reviewed September 5, 2008
by
badifrom Camp Hill, PA
The Mistake Bank is a first-of-its-kind invaluable resource filled with lessons that can be applied to virtually any industry. No need to bother grandpa as he struggles to remember his stories or uncomfortably calling that lifer VP you knew from 3 jobs ago. Indeed, the site has potential that will grow as it gets more traffic, especially as we immerse ourselves in the ever-growing sophistication of web 2.0. Imagine the possibilities (as the cliche goes); spread the word!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 12 for The Mistake Bank
55
Celebrating our screw-ups
Reviewed September 5, 2008
by
CaityCatfrom Canada
It really is true that you learn more from failure than success, but exchanging mistakes offers people the chance to avoid some of the larger errors. It's still possible to learn from the horribly embarrassing mistakes of others without having to repeat them yourself.
The site treats screw-ups as learning opportunities, rather than a source of shame and self-doubt, which I find inspiring. And as a new worker, I find it great to know that people at all levels of business are prone to mistakes.
Share this Review:
Review 13 for The Mistake Bank
55
Good concept
Reviewed September 5, 2008
by
MacDfrom Dublin, Ireland
So like they say, the most important thing is not to make the same mistake twice. That personal experience of really messing something up is the basic premise of "learning from your mistakes".
The Mistake bank shares practical experience of entrepeneurs and managers so that you can avoid making the mistake in the first place.
It has a completely different kind of impact than other sites which are focused on 'tips' and training and the experiences shared by members of the network somehow strikes a deeper impact. And of course, it creates empathy and a feeling that well, err, at least your not the only one that screws up from time to time :)
Share this Review:
Review 14 for The Mistake Bank
55
CELEBRATE FAILURE?
Reviewed September 4, 2008
by
FOXTROTfrom Plano, TX
If you think back on the key learnings of your life, how many of them involve failure versus success? The Mistake Bank is capturing these 'assets' and transforming the way we process our thinking about failure and mistakes. If my children and my clients could learn one thing from this site, it is the counter-intuitive message that we grow more from failure than success.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 15 for The Mistake Bank
55
The Mistake Bank - No Mistake
Reviewed August 21, 2008
by
mcfluffrom Harrisburg, pa
We learn so much more from our failures - and those of others - than we do from our "successes." The Mistake Bank has almost unlimited potential. I can hardly wait to see how it grows! What mistake have YOU learned the most from? Do you want to help others learn what you've learned? If you have "no regrets" because you "wouldn't be where you are today" if it weren't for a certain past learning experience, then you'll understand the value of The Mistake Bank, too.
