Occasionally, I wake up in the morning with an idea I can't shake. Today, it was a question: What's wrong with "wrong"?
In leadership coaching, I've noticed a pattern. Many leaders (and really all of us) find it challenging to admit when we are wrong. Sometimes it's subtle. Sometimes it's explicit.
Leaders make decisions every day with incomplete information. New data emerges. Situations evolve. Perspectives shift.
In high-stakes, fast-moving environments, two tendencies can quietly get in the way:
Perfectionism can push us to project certainty.
When leaders feel pressure to appear flawless, teams may focus more on avoiding errors than learning from them. Innovation suffers.
Confirmation bias makes it harder to change course.
Once we've committed to a belief or decision, we may subconsciously seek evidence that supports it. New information is harder to absorb. Truth suffers.
Here's the irony: growth rarely happens without mistakes.
When a leader says, "I got that wrong," or "Given what we know now, we should adjust," a few important things happen:
- Honesty takes priority over ego
- Psychological safety increases
- Better decisions emerge because more perspectives shape the outcome
Some leaders worry that admitting an error will hurt their credibility. In my experience, the opposite is often true. Leaders who own their missteps build trust, model humility, and create space for others to do the same.
When leaders struggle to do this, teams may feel that agreement is safer than speaking up.
Strong leaders understand that mistakes do not signal incompetence. They signal learning.
Leaders who admit when they're wrong make it easier for others to follow suit.
Am I wrong? (I hope you'll tell me if I am.)