Leading Self: Owning Mistakes
"Sometimes in life, you will make mistakes. And when you think back on those mistakes, you may feel embarrassed. That's a normal feeling. Nobody is perfect and we all make our fair share of mistakes in life. However, if you do not take responsibility for the mistake and do your best to correct it, then you are committing a second mistake. Do the right thing, even though you may feel embarrassed by your previous actions. Don't compound the error." - James Clear, author of Atomic Habits
Business literature in recent years has been bringing an emphasis to the importance of vulnerability in leaders. I believe it isn't just a fashionable theory. This past week, I noticed a prominent and public leader admit to continuing a strategy for which he had "made a name for himself" even though it was no longer working. He chose to lead himself through unproductive feelings of embarrassment, blaming someone else, and defensiveness. He owned his mistake and changed the strategy in collaboration with his team. Quite quickly and noticeably the trust of those following him deepened. Key performance indicators improved, too.
How about you? Will you choose to "take responsibility for a mistake ... [and not] compound the error"?
