We all do it. We do things our own way, hoping to replicate the successes of the past and avoid its problems and failures. We are earnest in this, but are we systematic?

Because what tends to happen then is that we forget ourselves, and do things in the usual way – which has led to problems before.  We know we shouldn’t do it, but it’s a human failing. We never quite have the power to ‘see ourselves as others see us’, as Burns put it; habit takes over. We do things in a way which comes to us as automatic, but which others will spot as ‘in character’.

So, how to protect against ourselves? The first thing is to give some serious thought to what mistakes we tend to make, and understand the pattern. It can be a big help to have someone else to help us do this, as a critic with positive motivation.

Having done this, we have the basis for planning a process which will enable us to flag up the danger points in advance. This will often involve creating space. So, if one of our mistakes is to get impatient and cut corners, then creating space might involve an ‘impatience process’, backed up by a procedure to deal with, for instance, change control.

Such a simple response, of course has its own weaknesses – it is susceptible to corner-cutting, too. If we get into a blind rush, or a rage, or (worse still) loose patience with the methods of the people we are working with, and begin to think, “That’s their problem”, then little procedures might not stop us. If we have a dislike of fussy clients or aggressive claims surveyors, then we need to get on top of those emotions, and just not let them sway our behaviour. This is a tough call, and dealing with it may take some time and effort. But it will be worth it.