One of the biggest mistakes I see leaders make is failing to admit when a mistake has been made. No one is perfect, yet for some reason many leaders act as if it is not possible to have made a mistake. Instead, they choose to blame market conditions or other people for things that may have not gone their way. Failing to own up to mistakes compromises trust and loyalty and degrades the ability to lead.
Admitting when things haven’t gone according to plan demonstrates to employees that you are honest, open, and accountable, which are traits that most leaders value from their own people. Think about someone you know who blames everyone else but herself for her actions. How does that make you feel? Are you committed to helping her succeed or do you run the other way whenever she walks in the room?
Admitting when you are wrong may not be something that comes naturally to you. I would suggest giving this a shot and observing for yourself what happens when people recognize the leader in the organization is actually human.
Roberta
