I’m Successful Because I’ve Been Wrong
A leader explained, “One reason I’ve been successful this year is I’ve been wrong a lot.”
One of the best ways to expand your leadership is by be wrong publicly.
When was the last time you were wrong?
Try saying:
- I sure missed that one.
- Oh, I’m sorry, I really screwed that up.
- Oh my, I thought I understood, but now I see I didn’t.
- Thanks for point out what I missed.
- Your input is changing the way I look at things.
- Gee, I thought I knew what was happening, but I made up my mind too quickly.
- Holy cow, I can’t believe I just said that. I hope you can forgive me.
3 advantage of being wrong:
#1. Learning
Anyone who doesn’t make mistakes already knows. And those who know can’t learn.
Learning is the iterative process of failure and improvement.
Learning leaders:
- Make decisions based on reasonable confidence they’re doing the right thing. (When you aren’t sure, make decisions that won’t cause harm.)
- Evaluate decisions. Did the decision produce the desired result?
- Repeat what worked well. What’s working? (Keep in mind that what worked in the past may not work now.)
- Adapt what might be improved. What might make this better?
- Reject what didn’t work. What isn’t working?
- Add new strategies. What might we try, that we haven’t tried yet?
- Repeat and learn.
#2. Improvement
Every improvement begins with imperfection.
You’re always “wrong” when there’s a better way to do things – and there’s always a better way.
- Reject the need to be right.
- Make space for others by saying, “I could be wrong.”
When you start defending you stop improving.
#3. Growth
Growth includes:
- Courage to risk failure.
- Honesty to own mistakes.
- Humility to learn from blunders.
- Resolve to begin again.
Ego stunts your growth and makes you dumb.
How might leaders expand their leadership by being wrong?
What advantages can you see from being wrong publicly?
It may be hard to be the ‘first’ to lead in this model of admitting mistakes and showing how to come out on the other side better than before — but it certainly makes living an authentic leadership role much easier. It’s like the difference between being a celebrity known for their looks and style who lives in dread of a bad photo being published, and a celebrity known for their talents who can dress up or dress down and still be seen for who they really are. Leaders are not always right, but they can still be respected leaders.
Thanks Mary Ellen. Real respect can only be enjoyed when we are real.
Being first is a real challenge. But being first is what leadership is all about it. Thank you for reminding us that it’s worth it.
“Me too” is all I can say after reading this article…. I am now heading in right direction to be successful again and better than what I am now…. #besuccessful #direction #better
Best wishes for the journey, Clarityabs.
Publicly admitting mistakes means making oneself vulnerable. That’s difficult for leaders to do, but it’s necessary because it builds relationships and makes leaders relatable as being part of the team.
Thanks Sam. You make me think of vulnerability as an open door to relationship. Our vulnerability makes it safe for others to connect with us.
The topic of failure and owning up to it is so strong of a character. Some may say it is seen as being weak but as the article points out, growth is the outcome from admitting failure. As it is helpful in learning, acknowledging faults or personal shortcomings, you don’t miss on learning opportunities to know what to do the next time around. There is active reflection with reviewing past actions that pertains to not ‘meeting the mark’.
Making mistakes and accepting it shows that leaders are also humans and will help relate better to the team. It also shows courage on the leader’s part to be able to freely accept it but still remain a respected leader. Also, it encourages constructive feedback which is vital to improve the organisation.
Well said, anyone who can’t admit to a mistake is gravely handicapped in many ways. A few thoughts of my own: Refusing to listen to anyone else’s point of view requires a lot of faith in your own infallibility. If someone who disagrees with you turns out to be wrong, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are right. As soon as someone’s ego becomes attached to any process, it’s effectiveness is compromised.