When a leader never admits their faults, they are essentially saying, “I am perfect.”
As a young and naive manager, I thought people wouldn’t trust me if I told them I wasn’t good at something. If I had a weakness, I tried to hide it so others wouldn’t know. I was sure that the people I was called to lead would question my fitness for leadership if I ever said, “I stink at _____.” But the truth is everyone already knew my weaknesses whether I admitted to them or not!
When everyone knows we stink at something and we won’t admit it, that does not build their trust, that tears it down! As leaders, our pride may make us believe that we should be good at everything. We may even think that everyone else thinks we should be good at everything. But both those thoughts are markers of a naive person.
When a leader owns their weaknesses that actually builds trust with the people around them. A leader who exercises the Humility to see themselves honestly and then be honest about what they see, gains the respect of others.
In a recent workshop with some senior leaders in the fire services, I asked the group, “What will people think if you let them know you are not good at something?” Immediately, one of those leaders said, “I will lose their trust.”
I looked this big burly man’s man dead in the eye and said, “You are dead wrong my friend! A leader who admits faults actually builds trust. Because that leader is just admitting to things everyone already knows about them!”
He answered out of a position of pride not out of one of Humility. He was living the “fake it until you make it” life and thinking that would add to his credibility. A leader who fakes it, will never gain the trust of others. That is just a foolish or naive approach to leadership.
There is and never will be a perfect leader on this side of heaven. But, when a leader never admits their faults, they are essentially saying, “I am perfect.” Which makes everyone around them think, “this guy is either that ignorant, that arrogant or that delusional!” Whichever it is, it is not going to inspire them to trust you.
Exercising Humility takes the willingness to look in the mirror, honestly evaluating yourself, and then admitting to others what you see. Don’t worry! They already see it! This now allows you to ask for help, build credibility, and actually set the example for the rest of your team to do the same thing. That is a leader who will be leading a team built on trust and a leader that will have a team committed to getting better.
Question:
- What do you stink at doing that you should admit to others?
- How will that set an example for them?
Here is a quick assessment that will take you 5 minutes to figure it out. Nobody will ever see your results but you.
Warning: If you are not going to be honest with yourself this is a worthless assessment.
To take the assessment use the QR code above or go to www.MYCHARACTERTEST.com
