I once heard a phrase, “the perfect product is a non-competitive product”. It made me reflect since it is a counterintuitive expression. Let’s break this idea down.

A perfect product is developed in a wide time frame, it avoids mistakes and is made out of perfect information. Even though it sounds optimal, this outcome could hardly be so. A product developed under these rarely achievable circumstances will barely cross boundaries and innovate; therefore, it would cut short in competitiveness, especially in a world that changes by leaps and bounds, as it happens today.

Innovation and mistake are two faces of the same coin. Sometimes, mistakes signal that something complex and competitive is developing. Only wise ones know that it is a stage that allows taking advantage of the generated knowledge to use it as a springboard. Products made in an environment that embraces mistakes create the set to unfold innovation, allowing differentiation from the competition.

The key? Finding the right balance between launching a perfect product and launching the first approach to an optimal outcome. In the second scenario, the knowledge it generates will be the pivotal element that will allow continuous improvement and innovation. TeamRednodo likes to think of these outcomes as the initial stage to reaching excellence. Does your company’s culture embrace mistakes?