Believe it or not, sometimes leaders get it wrong. All leaders are wrong sometimes. Do you know why? Because they are human. We are human, and we are not perfect. So why do some leaders refuse to listen to others? Why do some leaders resist changing their plans when somebody brings them new information? Why can’t we all just start from a point of view “I could be wrong.” The answer is: Pride.
The success that leaders have experienced in the past often causes them to cross the line from confidence into unbridled pride – in other words, arrogance. It’s a lesson I have to learn again and again. I work with very smart and wise people on our Becoming a Leader of Character team. But, I realize there are times when my confidence turns to arrogance.
I may have an idea or a strategy that I love. I get excited and lay out a course of action. But, when they challenge me, instead of listening to them, I dig in my heels. I want what I want. I see their input as a challenge, and I like to win challenges. Therefore, I shut them down or shut them out.
This is the ugly side of me and maybe a lot of leaders out there. But what if we did it differently? What if we started out by asking ourselves, “What if I am wrong?” Exercising Humility and having the self awareness to realize that being wrong is a possibility will help us in a lot of ways.
- People will feel affirmed and important.
- They will bring us a new perspective that we don’t have.
- We will encourage them and empower them to be part of the solution.
- They will trust us more because they know we make decisions with more complete information.
- We will avoid preventable mistakes.
- We will become wiser because we have more input from wise people.
- The team will be better.
- Our families will be better.
The only reason to not adopt the “What if I am wrong?” perspective is arrogance. We are too proud to admit our own potential for mistakes. We are unwilling to be challenged by others. We are blind to our own shortcomings.
If more leaders began by asking themselves “What if I am wrong?” imagine the productive dialogue we’d have among leaders in politics, businesses, government agencies and in our homes!
Imagine the positive give and take between people who make critical decisions. Imagine the buy-in to those decisions once they are made. It just takes some Humility from the leaders.
Question:
- When was the last time you let yourself believe you might be wrong?
- Did it build up or tear down your relationship with others?
Audiobook sales have taken over for ebook sales. When we first published Becoming a Leader of Character in 2017, people were predicting ebooks were going to kill traditional hard copy print books.
That didn’t happen. In fact, print books’ percentage of sales are very similar to what they were in 2017 when we first published. What has changed is that audiobooks have eaten away at ebook sales.
Therefore, if you have been waiting on the audiobook version of Becoming a Leader of Character it is now here! You can get it on Spotify, Audible or any other major platform for audiobooks.
While you drive or workout, marinate your brains in the Six Habits of Character – Courage, Humility, Integrity, Selflessness, Duty, and Positivity.
Order now on your favorite platform:
(Audible is coming soon!)
Audible: Will be available in the coming weeks. We will let you know as soon as Audible makes it available.
