When you are out in front and taking new territory, missteps are part of the journey. If you aren’t making mistakes, you are playing it too safe and may not be truly leading.
Making mistakes is part of how we learn and grow. Repeating the same mistakes is how we get stuck and head toward failure. When we continue to repeat the mistake it’s an indication we’re not learning.
Accepting mistakes as part of leadership is not permission to be sloppy, fail to think or make foolish shallow plans. It is an awareness that taking risks, making decisions, and leading change can never be perfected.
Leadership requires strategy, but it’s also like art. People see things differently. Everything you do will not make everyone happy and mistakes will be made.
There is a new complexity in play when it comes to making, owning and correcting mistakes. It is the problem of defining what is and what is not a mistake.
With truth bending, values shifting, culture changing, and politics dividing, what is a gross mistake to one person is a heroic moment for another. It’s difficult to lead through this current and complex reality.
- What inspires someone to celebrate, causes another to leave the church.
- What represents a value to someone, offends another.
- What brings joy to one person, causes another to be angry.
Have these always been true? Yes, but not nearly to the degree they are true today.
Making mistakes and how you handle them is part of learning who you are as a leader.
1) Don’t allow yourself to be held hostage by public opinion; commit to deep convictions based your personal values.
It’s nearly impossible to truly possess deep convictions for a long list of values – not convictions we lead by on a consistent basis.
Wisdom over time reveals that a long list of proclaimed convictions makes for shallow commitment and can lead to hypocrisy. A short, deeply held set of convictions based on your personal values will provide the strength and guidance needed for your leadership.
What are your non-negotiable convictions based on deeply held biblical values?
2) It’s essential to see every individual as a person of worth and treat them with dignity and respect regardless of their opinions.
God has placed people under the care of our spiritual leadership who think differently and have differing values. This does not make them an enemy or call for judgement. We still hold fast to our convictions but generously share the love of God with all.
3) Each of us must speak with integrity, risk wisely and stay on mission.
Know who you are, where you are going, and muster the courage to lead.
You can clearly see why leadership is so complex. There is very little room to second guess yourself.
The foundation for all of us is to lead by the love and grace of God and remain focused on His Word. And when we make a mistake, we handle it properly and keep going.
Leaders who attempt to cover up, justify or minimize their mistakes often struggle with deeper issues. Breaking free from that captivity is one of the healthiest things a leader can do.
Warning signs that may hinder you from owning your mistakes:
- Pride that makes us want to look good and be right no matter what the cost. Defensiveness and arrogance can result from this pride which blocks the ability to learn and grow.
- Insecurity that tempts us to behave as someone other than our real self, someone with less flaws and better liked. Insecurity causes us to pretend rather than enjoy being the person God made us to be.
- Fear that gives us permission to hide, cover up or blame someone else for our mistake. Telling the truth is essential for strong character and leading with integrity.
Your work environment makes a difference in your ability to own your mistakes. A healthy, growth-oriented culture that understands mistakes are part of learning and maturing, is a gift to your growth as a leader.
A 5-step process to handle your mistakes in a healthy way:
1) Own it completely.
You may or may not be at fault for a mistake, but if you are the leader, you are responsible. Take full ownership.
There is great freedom in owning your mistakes. Your courage and maturity in this process allows you to grow and become a better leader.
2) Disclose it quickly.
When you make a mistake, speak up right away. This develops your courage and clears the air. It enables all involved to move toward solutions rather than assign blame.
If something goes wrong, you should be the first one to say, “Hey, I made a mistake.” Not “My bad.” Don’t minimize it. It’s better to say, “That’s my mistake.” Our words make a difference.
It’s not necessary to make every small mistake a big deal. In many cases a poised and matter of fact statement is all that is needed. The important thing is to move on to a solution.
3) Solve it correctly.
Left unresolved, the consequences of more substantial mistakes do not fade, they get bigger.
Solutions help turn the corner from a problem to progress. A good solution changes the focus from a negative tone to one of forward motion and positive progress.
Dive in deep to correct the mistake. Cosmetic work that only covers the surface doesn’t truly fix the problem. Solutions that last require more than veneer touch up.
Understanding what went wrong and the difference between, for example, a system failure or human error is essential. Stay with the process until its complete.
4) Learn from it thoroughly.
It’s important for us as leaders to take some time to pause and carefully think through what caused us to make the mistake so we can genuinely learn from it.
Key big picture questions:
- What exactly went wrong?
- What did you learn?
- How can you grow?
Questions to dig deeper:
- Was it due to lack of experience on your part?
- Were you in a hurry and therefore did not invest enough time?
- Were your motives biased in your own direction rather than the good of others?
- Did you receive inaccurate information?
- Was it circumstantial because the playing field changed?
How would you do it differently next time?
5) Move on appropriately.
If you have owned, solved and learned from your mistakes, it’s healthy to let it go and move on.
Don’t beat yourself up. Don’t dwell on it. If you have completed the first four steps, shake it off.
Match your level of response to the size of the mistake.
- If restitution is needed, make restitution.
- If an apology is appropriate, do that.
- If it just wasn’t a big deal and you need to let it go, let it go.
I hope this is helpful and pass this on to your staff and friends who lead!
So good—defining what a “mistake” is. It seemed, in the Old Testament, that everything was a mistake if God wasn’t in it. Even if the decision feels right in the moment, the long-term [unknowable] implications could be/are the litmus! Kind of intimidating. Love your process here. Great lessons on a Monday heading into chemo…a mistake? Time will tell:).