
It is nearly always the immediate boss who passes on the organiza-
tion’s attitude toward mistakes. But because bosses each have a
uniquely personal response to mistakes, this is akin to handing out
shotguns randomly laced with either buckshot or flowers. For every
story of a boss helping a subordinate to learn from mistakes, there is
one for a boss who cruelly metes out punishment and scorn (p. 110).
12. Shuchman (1991), p. B16.
13. See Bandura and Wood (1989) for some of the difficulties in learning rules
from the results of actions alone (p. 812).
14. Falvey (1989) describes this phenomenon:
Unfortunately, Pete’s story has a happy ending. Not only ...