Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?

Analysis shows that disasters like Enron, the events of September 11 or airplane crashes are never caused by just one bad decision, but rather a long string of mistakes that went unnoticed, were considered to be trivial or ignored for various reasons.
This book is not designed to address the topic of crisis management, but rather to help individuals and organizations avoid triggering crises in the first place. The author shows that the ability to learn from their mistakes can thus be a major asset for companies.
Although the author does make a distinction between operational and strategic errors which may be perceived as somewhat artificial, he provides an appreciable analysis of a wide variety of examples, ranging from the sinking of the Titanic to the launching of New Coke, not to mention the Firestone tire scandal (chapters 2 to 4). He demonstrates that regardless of the type of business, people tend to make the same kinds of mistakes, e.g. decisions based on mistaken assumptions, critical data that slips through the cracks, lack of individual training, poor communication, etc.
The author underlines the impact of corporate culture on starting and prolonging a series of mistakes. This is why every organization must strive to make continuous learning and the search for excellence pillars of its culture. Otherwise, mediocrity and lack of discipline rapidly leave room for errors (chapters 5 and 6).
To get a quick grasp of the key messages, you can peruse the last chapter. The author offers many suggestions on how individuals and organizations can develop the ability to spot the warning signs that a series of errors is starting. Of particular note are recommendations to establish tracking systems, to listen attentively to customer feedback, to analyze past decisions systematically, etc.