• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
Fortune Insiders

Proof Even the Best Employees Fail

By
Ryan Harwood
Ryan Harwood
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Ryan Harwood
Ryan Harwood
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 8, 2016, 7:00 PM ET
Crumpled balls of paper beside wastebasket
Photograph by Adam Gault via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The Leadership Insider network is an online community where the most thoughtful and influential people in business contribute answers to timely questions about careers and leadership. Today’s answer to the question: How do you embrace imperfection as part of professional development? is by Ryan Harwood, CEO of PureWow.

I believe that as a CEO, entrepreneur, or manager, embracing imperfection is necessary to growing a successful organization. At PureWow, we never get mad at making a mistake. We understand that our company is made up of people, not machines, and that human error is going to happen. Of course, when it comes to integrity, character, or trust — you can’t tolerate any breach, but with product errors, imperfection can actually help lead to perfection.

Create a human organization
By embracing imperfection, you humanize your employees. Equally important, you also humanize yourself. If your employees know that they will not be penalized for innocuous errors, then you have planted the seed towards open collaboration. That is why I never hesitate to talk about anything with my employees. For instance, if you want to tell me about your personal life, I’m all ears. Obviously there are things that are inappropriate, but if someone wants to know how my new baby is doing, I’m more than happy to share. CEOs are humans too, and need to build relationships with their employees so they don’t fear sharing mistakes with them.

See also: This Is What Happens When You Embrace Your Failures

Do it yourself (DIY)
At PureWow, we encourage people to do things on their own; take the bull by the horns. Give it your best effort first, and then we’ll assess the rest. I’d almost rather a team member do something outright wrong than do a mediocre job and float under the radar. Mistakes can always be corrected. We also encourage open feedback and dialogue. Share praise when its been earned, but also don’t be afraid to highlight mistakes so others can learn from them. Because there is nothing worse than making the same mistake twice.

Winery_Summer_OffSite

Don’t be fearful of conflict
Conflict is good — as long as it’s done in a professional way. You want people to disagree, and bring out the best in each other. In fact, I frequently disagree with my managers, but when we come together over a disagreement we actually find an even better solution. When you have a culture that embraces healthy conflict, mistakes are equally encouraged. Your employees aren’t afraid to give things a try because they know at very worst their mistake will open a discourse, which is never a bad thing.

Don’t be a super chicken
In one of my favorite TED Talks, Margaret Heffernan talks about an experiment in which chickens were bred for their most desirable qualities to make “Super Chickens.” They should have been a perfect brood, but instead they all killed each other. In the same respect, you don’t want each and every employee to be of a certain “perfect” mold, successful organizations need a variety of people who have different abilities and shortcomings. An employees imperfections in one role may indicate they would make an excellent fit for a different position. If you allow for your employees to be comfortable with failing — and trying new things — it will put them on the right track to the position in which they will yield their very best product.

About the Author
By Ryan Harwood
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in

Two students stand next to each other and look at the papers they are holding.
AIEducation
Study finds AI boosted homework scores 18%—then tanked exam results 20%
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 21, 2026
51 minutes ago
Exclusive: Twin sisters built GlossGenius into the latest female-founded unicorn. Now they’re debuting AI for small businesses far beyond beauty
NewslettersMPW Daily
Exclusive: Twin sisters built GlossGenius into the latest female-founded unicorn. Now they’re debuting AI for small businesses far beyond beauty
By Emma HinchliffeJuly 21, 2026
58 minutes ago
math
AIScience
Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
By Eva RoytburgJuly 21, 2026
1 hour ago
Welder on a navy boat
SuccessCareers
Jamie Dimon says six-figure shipyard jobs are the new ‘American Dream’—but candidates will need to endure hours of extreme heat, cold, and rain
By Preston ForeJuly 21, 2026
2 hours ago
Knicks star Jalen Brunson
SuccessPersonal Finance
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
By Emma BurleighJuly 21, 2026
2 hours ago
Current price of gold as of July 21, 2026
Personal Financegold prices
Current price of gold as of July 21, 2026
By Danny BakstJuly 21, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
24 hours ago
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
Success
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
By Sydney LakeJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
AI
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
By Jason MaJuly 18, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 20, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 20, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
It’s not just Taco Bell lettuce and possible glass in Pillsbury rolls: Food and drink recall events reached a 6-year year-over-year high
Retail
It’s not just Taco Bell lettuce and possible glass in Pillsbury rolls: Food and drink recall events reached a 6-year year-over-year high
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
The Treasury is walking a tightrope on U.S. debt by relying so much on short-term rates that are at the mercy of a suddenly very hawkish Fed
Economy
The Treasury is walking a tightrope on U.S. debt by relying so much on short-term rates that are at the mercy of a suddenly very hawkish Fed
By Jason MaJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.