Admitting you’re wrong is often challenging. Admitting you’re wrong as a leader? Perhaps even more so.
For many, there’s the assumption that admitting to your team – or higher-ups – that you’ve made a mistake is a sign of weakness or failure. People worry about what others will think of their skills if they reveal that a decision didn’t go as planned or was completely wrong.
Yet that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth—and a 2022 study by Ohio State University highlighted precisely that. They found that leaders who admit mistakes are more effective than those who try to appear flawless. This is because when leaders share that they’ve done something incorrectly, they show humility, which is associated with more effective leadership.
The notion that leaders should be overly confident and dominant and expose other people’s mistakes rather than share their own is outdated. Behaving like this makes the team you manage less likely to trust you and more likely to hide their own mistakes.
When leaders have the courage to acknowledge their own errors and then analyze what happened so they can move forward positively, their employees are more likely to follow suit and take a problem-solving approach to their work when things don’t go as planned. This creates a culture of transparency, honesty, trust, and an openness to taking risks. It will also help build an environment where continuous improvement is seen as a collective effort.
Here are four reasons why admitting you are wrong can be your superpower.
Vulnerability Is A Strength
Being transparent about your work-related ups and downs means you’re willing to be vulnerable–which is associated with outstanding leadership. A 2023 UMass Global study – Weakness is the New Strength: How Vulnerability Makes Leaders Stronger – revealed that “strong leaders are, by necessity, vulnerable and approachable, and their behavior predictable.”
Vulnerability is essential because, as well as accepting and sharing the mistakes you make as you make them, it is also beneficial to openly admit your limitations as a leader. By doing so, you can highlight the strengths of others around you. Leaders are not expected to excel at everything – a good leader will build a team of people who complement each other’s skills and deficits. You can then draw on these diverse opinions and skill sets to help make informed decisions.
Once you share your limitations, you show that you are willing to learn from others rather than completely ignoring their ideas and suggestions.
Seeking Feedback Is Essential
Admitting mistakes positions leaders to receive valuable feedback from team members eager to understand how things went wrong and collaborate on proactive measures to problem solve. By listening to and fully understanding this feedback, leaders can effectively dismantle existing communication barriers within the team.
While it may seem counterintuitive for leaders, who are typically the ones providing feedback, to accept it themselves, it can significantly bolster trust and transparency across the workforce.
Actively seeking feedback after an error enables leaders to delve deeply into the causes of mistakes and encourages team members to devise solutions and prevention strategies. This collaborative approach to problem-solving promotes shared responsibility and requires leaders to critically evaluate the feedback they receive. Leaders must identify which insights can lead to substantial improvements and which might need more scrutiny. By thoughtfully integrating this feedback, leaders can course correct more effectively and enhance team accountability.
Transparency Builds A Culture of Trust
Acknowledging mistakes is crucial for leaders aiming to build strong, trusting relationships within their teams. A 2022 Harvard Business School survey highlights a growing demand for truthfulness in the workplace, with employees increasingly seeking honesty and transparency from their leaders.
When leaders consistently demonstrate transparency and accountability, they build trust and boost team engagement. This culture of openness encourages effective communication, directly enhancing productivity, job satisfaction, and team cohesion.
Additionally, by openly admitting errors leaders create a supportive environment where mistakes prompt constructive dialogue instead of fear. This approach demystifies the decision-making process, strengthens team bonds, and encourages active participation in problem-solving.
Learning From Mistakes Fuels Growth
Rather than dwelling on the immediate setbacks when mistakes occur, leaders must consider the broader implications of these learning moments. What opportunities for improvement and innovation could arise from these experiences? How can the insights gained from errors drive forward-thinking strategies and enhance problem-solving capabilities?
Embracing mistakes as catalysts for development allows leaders and their teams to explore new options. A proactive approach mitigates the impact of errors and transforms them into invaluable lessons that pave the way for growth and success.
Ultimately, mistakes are inevitable, and everyone makes them. As a leader it is vital to not pretend that you are infallible. You can rebound from setbacks more effectively and support organizational growth by cultivating a mindset that views mistakes as opportunities. Insightful leaders understand that acknowledging their mistakes enhances their credibility and serves as a catalyst for enduring success.