When the ‘Wrong’ Ticket Wins Big: What HR and Leaders Can Learn from Unexpected Wins

In Carrollton, Virginia, Kelly Lindsay went to a gas station to buy a lottery ticket. The clerk handed her the wrong one. Frustrated but not wanting to make a scene, she kept it anyway. Turns out, that “wrong” ticket was worth $2 million (People).

Now, aside from being an incredible stroke of luck, there’s a real lesson here for HR professionals and business leaders. How often do we get caught up in our plans, only to have something unexpected happen? Whether it’s a hiring decision, an org change, or a policy rollout, things don’t always go the way we expect—but sometimes, that’s exactly what leads to success.

When Things Don’t Go as Planned—And That’s Okay

HR is full of moments where things go “wrong.” Maybe you hired someone who wasn’t the top choice, only for them to become one of your best employees. Maybe a process overhaul faced pushback, but in the end, it solved bigger issues you didn’t even anticipate. The key takeaway? Not every misstep is a failure—sometimes, it’s just a different path to success.

A McKinsey & Company study found that companies with agile HR teams—those that embrace flexibility—perform significantly better in engagement and retention. The best leaders aren’t the ones who never make mistakes; they’re the ones who know how to pivot when things don’t go as planned.

Mistakes That Turn Into Wins

There’s no shortage of real-world examples of “wrong turns” leading to big wins. Some of the most successful professionals didn’t land their dream job right away. Some of the best workplace policies started as something entirely different. Harvard Business Review highlights how many major corporate innovations started from failures or unexpected challenges.

The problem is, in HR, we’re often too quick to label something as a mistake when it might actually be an opportunity in disguise. Hiring someone outside of the traditional mold? That could be the fresh perspective your team needs. Getting denied a promotion? Maybe it sets you up for a better role down the line.

Helping Employees Roll with the Punches

For employees, Lindsay’s story is a reminder that setbacks aren’t always setbacks. Maybe you got passed up for a role you wanted. Maybe a company reorg means you’re suddenly reporting to someone new. Maybe you feel like you’re stuck in the wrong position. Instead of seeing it as a dead end, look at what doors it might be opening.

As HR professionals and leaders, we need to help employees build that mindset—where they don’t just react to change, but know how to make the best of it. That means transparent communication, training that prepares them for different paths, and leadership that doesn’t just focus on rigid plans but embraces adaptability.

Final Thoughts

Kelly Lindsay walked out of that gas station annoyed, thinking she’d been handed the wrong ticket. Turns out, that "mistake" changed her life. The workplace is no different. Not everything that seems like a setback is actually bad—sometimes, it’s the start of something better.

So, the next time things don’t go as planned in your workplace, take a step back before calling it a failure. You never know—that wrong ticket might just be your jackpot.