Leaders Must Admit And Correct Mistakes
All too often, simply because someone has either ascended to, or attained a position of leadership, many seem to automatically attribute these individuals with superhuman abilities that they simply do not have.
It is incumbent on all of us.
To remember that first and foremost, a leader is also a human, with all the frailties, fears and challenges that we all combat.
The most effective leaders however, concentrate their focus, and exhibit greater commitment than most others.
However, simply because someone is a leader does not mean they are immune from making a mistake.
The wise leader, however, realizes that he must admit his mistakes and take steps to reverse the wrong course, because continuing in the wrong direction exacerbates a negative trend and situation.
Will Rogers said, "If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging.
" 1.
Mistakes happen, because as long as you do anything, there will always be some mistakes made.
Unfortunately, many in positions of leadership permit their egos to overrule their judgment, and rather than simply show the courage to admit a mistake and make adaptations and changes, as needed, they often dig themselves a bigger hole.
We should never fear admitting a mistake, because anyone who does, or even attempts to do anything, will make some mistakes.
Even when planning is superb and all alternatives are considered and pursued, there will still be mistakes made.
A leader realizes that making a mistake need not imply any type of error in judgment, but rather simply pursuing and going in the wrong direction.
2.
There is never anything wrong with making a mistake, as well as the original action was well considered and well meaning.
Great leaders often make mistakes, not because of lack of preparation, but rather because they did not conceive that events would unveil the way they did.
When a mistake occurs, one should judge a leader by how he reacts and what he does.
Does that leader panic, overreact, and try to run away from any type of personal responsibility, or does he admit the mistake, explain it fully, and communicate transparently how he will proceed, why, and what he believes this will do and address.
True leadership is based on a high moral and ethical code, where doing the right thing is a higher priority than merely making the leader look good.
The bottom line is that we must all have realistic expectations from our leaders, and our leaders must always take responsibility for what they do.
It is incumbent on all of us.
To remember that first and foremost, a leader is also a human, with all the frailties, fears and challenges that we all combat.
The most effective leaders however, concentrate their focus, and exhibit greater commitment than most others.
However, simply because someone is a leader does not mean they are immune from making a mistake.
The wise leader, however, realizes that he must admit his mistakes and take steps to reverse the wrong course, because continuing in the wrong direction exacerbates a negative trend and situation.
Will Rogers said, "If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging.
" 1.
Mistakes happen, because as long as you do anything, there will always be some mistakes made.
Unfortunately, many in positions of leadership permit their egos to overrule their judgment, and rather than simply show the courage to admit a mistake and make adaptations and changes, as needed, they often dig themselves a bigger hole.
We should never fear admitting a mistake, because anyone who does, or even attempts to do anything, will make some mistakes.
Even when planning is superb and all alternatives are considered and pursued, there will still be mistakes made.
A leader realizes that making a mistake need not imply any type of error in judgment, but rather simply pursuing and going in the wrong direction.
2.
There is never anything wrong with making a mistake, as well as the original action was well considered and well meaning.
Great leaders often make mistakes, not because of lack of preparation, but rather because they did not conceive that events would unveil the way they did.
When a mistake occurs, one should judge a leader by how he reacts and what he does.
Does that leader panic, overreact, and try to run away from any type of personal responsibility, or does he admit the mistake, explain it fully, and communicate transparently how he will proceed, why, and what he believes this will do and address.
True leadership is based on a high moral and ethical code, where doing the right thing is a higher priority than merely making the leader look good.
The bottom line is that we must all have realistic expectations from our leaders, and our leaders must always take responsibility for what they do.
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