Mistakes happen for all sorts of reasons, such as quick reactions, fatigue, bad advice, lack of training, and confusing instructions. Naomi Karten explains how we can benefit from our mistakes because it’s from them that we’re reminded how we could be better—provided, of course, we pay attention.

Although certain personality factors may explain why some people are more prone to tardiness than others, there are steps you can take to alleviate potential problems. You probably can’t change the underlying causes of those who keep you waiting, but you can establish clear boundaries.

Agile methods rarely describe roles that match those of a traditional manager. While some organizations consider managers to be “overhead,” others argue that their supervisors have value and help make people work more effectively. Steve Berczuk takes a look at the role of a manager in agile.