Mistakes I Made at Work audiobook cover - 25 Influential Women on Lessons Learned from Mistakes

Mistakes I Made at Work

25 Influential Women on Lessons Learned from Mistakes

Jessica Bacal

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Categories:
Motivation & InspirationCareer & SuccessManagement & LeadershipPersonal Development

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Mistakes I Made at Work
Trading Safety for Soul+
Finding Your Voice+
Learning to Ask for Help+
The Power of Saying No+
Building Resilience+
Core Philosophy+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
What key lesson did biomedical engineer Corinna Lathan apply from her STEM background when her startup's therapy robot exceeded production budgets?
  • A. She fired her financial team and started over to regain control.
  • B. She viewed the setback as a data point rather than a defeat.
  • C. She immediately returned to her stable academic faculty position.
  • D. She sought additional grant funding to cover the exact deficit.
Question 2 of 7
According to the stories of Ileana Jiménez and Kim Gordon, what is often required to stay true to yourself in rigid professional environments?
  • A. Conforming to commercial expectations temporarily to gain influence.
  • B. Adopting an exaggerated, highly theatrical professional persona.
  • C. Reshaping systems and norms rather than accepting their predefined limits.
  • D. Quitting immediately whenever your core values are challenged.
Question 3 of 7
Why did Dr. Danielle Ofri initially hesitate to ask a nurse why long-acting insulin was necessary for her patient?
  • A. She was eager to assert her authority and feared appearing unprepared.
  • B. She knew the nurse had a history of making critical medical errors.
  • C. She lacked the time to discuss the treatment plan during a busy ER shift.
  • D. She had already consulted with the senior resident about the insulin.
Question 4 of 7
What difficult lesson did social entrepreneur Luma Mufleh learn after making special exceptions for a traumatized student named Duke?
  • A. That trauma-informed education requires eliminating all behavioral rules.
  • B. That well-intentioned leniency can erode a program's foundational fairness.
  • C. That students from war-torn backgrounds cannot adapt to structured environments.
  • D. That she needed to step away from the school to protect her own mental health.
Question 5 of 7
What realization led Jezebel founder Anna Holmes to step back from the ceaseless output of her website?
  • A. The platform was no longer culturally relevant in the digital space.
  • B. She recognized her self-sacrifice was setting a toxic standard for her peers.
  • C. She was offered a more lucrative position at a traditional media company.
  • D. The website's metrics showed that readers preferred less frequent updates.
Question 6 of 7
How did novelist Ruth Ozeki transform her past career regrets, such as working on a cooking show funded by the meat industry?
  • A. She publicly apologized and donated her previous earnings to charity.
  • B. She completely buried the discomfort and refused to speak of it.
  • C. She used the ethical compromises as narrative fuel for her debut fiction.
  • D. She returned to television to produce an exposé on the meat industry.
Question 7 of 7
What is a central theme regarding women and career security presented throughout the book's stories?
  • A. Women should prioritize titles and financial security to overcome workplace biases.
  • B. Women are generally more likely than men to change careers impulsively.
  • C. True success can only be achieved by strictly following the advice of established mentors.
  • D. Reaching for meaningful work often requires letting go of hard-won security and conventional linear progress.

Mistakes I Made at Work — Full Chapter Overview

Mistakes I Made at Work Summary & Overview

Mistakes I Made At Work (2014) gathers candid stories from women who turned career stumbles into stepping stones. You’ll hear firsthand how setbacks – from miscalculations in high-pressure roles to moments of self-doubt – became pivotal lessons in leadership and growth. It explores how missteps become tools for building resilience, reshaping priorities, and forging paths that honor ambition without sacrificing authenticity.

Who Should Listen to Mistakes I Made at Work?

  • Women reconsidering traditional definitions of career success
  • Professionals navigating male-dominated industries or workplaces
  • Individuals seeking the courage to prioritize authenticity over external validation

About the Author: Jessica Bacal

Jessica Bacal is the director of Reflective and Integrative Practices and the Narratives Project at Smith College, where she develops programs to help students navigate identity, resilience, and community. She teaches a course on life design called “Designing Your Path,” and previously worked as an elementary school teacher and curriculum developer in New York City.

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