We place high expectations on our leaders. We look to them as a moral compass of what to do and how to act in all situations, both good and bad. We expect them to have all the answers and know how to react in crisis situations, often times on the spot without having the benefit of knowing all the facts on which to base a decision, or without the luxury of time to think things through. Inevitably, all leaders occasionally stumble and fail.
We all know that anyone can be a leader when everyone is getting along, expectations are being met, and when everything seems to be running smoothly. However, most leaders aren’t measured when everything is calm – they are measured by how they react under pressure in crisis situations, especially when problems occur as a result of their mistakes or poor decisions. This is the time when leaders are watched very closely by everyone with a very critical and judgmental eye.
Some leaders will look for ways to pass the blame for their mishaps onto others, or at least find someone else to share the responsibility with them. These are very dangerous leaders who have a knack for constructing perfect excuses to explain how things are never their fault, and they will rarely, if ever admit guilt. People detest working with people like this because they quickly realize that mutual trust and respect is an unattainable goal. Even if the relationship between the leader and his or her team members may be friendly and cordial when everything is going well, when the tide shifts, team members know the leader will immediately look to deflect blame onto others, positioning himself or herself almost as the victim of some one else’s incompetence. This brand of leadership explains high turnover, mistrust, low productivity and worst of all, it creates a culture where everyone is concerned about covering their caboose for when something hits the fan.
And then there are the leaders who publicly acknowledge their mistakes and use hindsight to explain how, where and why things went wrong. They also explain what measures they will immediately take to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself. These leaders don’t view their mistakes as humiliating failures; rather, they view them as an education, and are eager to share their education with everyone on their team. They know that at the end of the day, the buck stops with them, and if something goes wrong on their watch, they are ultimately responsible even if someone else may be 100% at fault.
When leaders admit to their mistakes, they earn the respect and admiration not only of their work groups, but also that of the company they work for. Admission of guilt is a sign of maturity, character, integrity and honesty. It is one of the most courageous and noble things a leader can do.
A strong leadership training program, teaches managers and supervisors how to navigate through crisis situations while preserving their integrity and respect among work groups for when they do make mistakes. Leadership is not easy, the expectations are high, and it’s how you handle mistakes as a leader that makes all the difference.
As a leader, people will always look to you as an example of how to act. Don’t let them down.