Leaders who possess self-awareness understand that it’s okay to be wrong and that it is a positive way to learn new things, grow, and move in more beneficial directions.
Yet a lot of leaders seem to live in a world where they cannot be wrong. No matter how dire the situation or how obvious their mistake is, they obstinately stick to their position and insist they are right.
Many people are taught at a young age that it’s not OK to be wrong, that somehow there is something wrong with them if they say or do something incorrectly. This point of view has a limiting effect on them that ranges from not taking risks because they’re afraid to fail, to not communicating their needs because they’re fearful of the repercussions.
Being wrong is not as horrible as it is portrayed in our workplaces so go ahead and relax as you increase your self-awareness and think of the following benefits next time you miss the mark on something:
Being Wrong is a Learning Experience
People forget that human beings can learn valuable lessons from being wrong. We find out what we can and can’t do and what we will avoid in the future. If we look at being wrong as an opportunity for building self-awareness and growing, it loses its stigma.
You Get to Let Go
If you don’t worry about being wrong you can let go of all that fear and trepidation. You don’t need to be concerned about making a mistake and you can try new things and relax a little more. You also get to enjoy being more self-aware and not making your life a living hell by hating yourself when something doesn’t go exactly to plan.
You’re Like Everyone Else
The best kept secret is that everybody is wrong all the time. There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t make mistakes. So relax a little, you’re perfectly normal. It’s human to not be right all the time and we have the capacity to learn from these situations.
Being wrong is just a sign that you’re trying to learn new things and experience the world. Try thinking of it as a way the universe has put together of teaching you valuable life lessons. If you think about it, there is no mistake that we can’t learn from. It’s up to us whether we make it into a tragedy or an opportunity.
What will you do to develop self-awareness and improve your leadership by admitting when you’re wrong?
Cheers,
Guy
