Making New Mistakes

Leading through disruption with a minimum of chaos.

Now available - order here

You will probably screw this up.

This was the advice I received from my instructor as I was preparing a presentation. How was that helpful??

The key to his encouragement came later when he explained that while I would probably screw something up, I didn't have to make the same mistakes others had made in their presentations...I would make my own, new mistakes.

My name is Travis Wright and I'm the author of Making New Mistakes. I've made plenty of mistakes in my career and I want you to learn from them. I spoke to other leaders across a variety of industries to find out how they learned from their mistakes. What I discovered is a series of patterns that can be applied to any organization.

Change Management Lessons from the Amish

There are only two pieces of technology that will result in an instant ban from the Amish community - cars and TV. Everything else is evaluated on how it impacts relationships in the community. How can you take this principle and apply it to your organization with a critical eye?

A Kodak Moment

Did you realize the digital camera was invented by the premier print film company in the world...in 1975? So why don't we have Kodak cameras in our smart phones? Why wasn't Kodak able to make the leap into the digital age and how can you avoid their mistakes?

A Well Tuned BS Detector

As you climb the career ladder, you get farther and farther away from the day to day work in your industry. This means you lose touch with the latest innovations so how can you keep up? You must rely on your team, vendors and even your competitors for information, but how do you ensure what they are saying is accurate? Learn more about creating your own personal board of advisors to ensure you are getting the unvarnished truth.

The Wright Problem

The Wright Brothers did not patent the airplane, their patent was for a way to control an aircraft while in flight. It's the same control system that is used in almost all airplanes today. While everyone else was focused on bigger engines, the Wright Brothers focused on control. Are you focused on the right problem?

For the visual learners...

In this short video, I talk about some of the inspiration for Making New Mistakes and who this book is for.

About me

My leadership journey began in aviation as a helicopter pilot and then an airline
pilot before becoming a military staff officer and eventually a management
consultant. I have worked with senior leaders across industries helping them
tackle tough problems. As a lifelong learner, I have earned degrees from Embry-
Riddle Aeronautical University and George Washington University as well as an
executive certificate from Georgetown University and the Senior Executive
Fellows Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School.

If you want to get in contact with me, please fill out the form below.

Thank you!

Thanks for visiting. I'd love to keep the conversation going and get your thoughts. Feel free to email me or connect on LinkedIn.

Making New Mistakes will be available in April 2020, please check back for details on ordering.