One of the most valued, non-monetary things in the workplace is to hear your boss admitting he was wrong. That’s not without a reason. It wouldn’t be valued so much if you saw that more often. And if managers were admitting they had been wrong every time they had you’d appreciate that the same as you appreciate the fact you can find the coffee in the cantina. Of course if you can imagine that, which isn’t the easy task.
People aren’t unmistakable and being a manger doesn’t make you one. A concept that you’re a manager because you’re wrong less often is, well, loosely connected with the reality. What more, counting per event, managers make significant mistakes more often. That’s not because their good decisions to all decisions ratio is poor, but because they just decide more often. Hey, that’s what they’re paid for.
Lack of ability to admit to be wrong, doesn’t help to build a leader position (as far as in your organization leader status is earned not just given). People see your mistakes, people feel you’re wrong, people know you should admit that. On the contrary, you can go out and say “Actually I was wrong and you were right. I’m sorry and I hope to listen to you more carefully in the future.” And then magic happens. You gain respect and trust, people become more accountable and willing to show up with their ideas, profits skyrocket, country goes stronger and everyone’s life is improved… OK, I went a bit too far.
The part of the problem can be character – no one, as a human, like to err. But we should expect leaders would overcome their personal fears. I really don’t care if my bosses can admit they’re wrong in front of their spouses as far as they can do it in front of their teams.
OK, time to print it out and pin it over the desk. The lesson is addressed to me too.
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