Hi Reader,

How many times have we heard this?

Every single time — and we've watched people prove it.

Go ahead. Raise your hand if you’ve never made a mistake.

If your hand is up, I'll have to assume you're either kidding yourself — or are unwilling to own and admit your mistakes?

Is there a Difference Between a Lie and a Mistake?

Before we get too far, let’s distinguish between failing to admit a mistake and actually lying.

I’m not sure of the provenance of this nugget, but it helps to make the distinction:

• When an error is made unintentionally, it is a mistake.
• When an error is made intentionally, it is a lie.
• When a mistake is pointed out, but still clung to, it becomes a lie.

This week, I’m going to show you why admitting your mistakes — promptly and unprompted — is an essential part of Becoming a More Effective Leader.

Why Is It So Hard to Admit We Were Wrong?

Are we celebrating our values — or applying them only when it’s convenient?

We’ve often touched upon the importance of values.

We discussed the importance of integrity in Should Pleading Guilty Excuse the Violation? when we considered the West Point honor code and the ethical standards we should expect from those who violate the rules.

But, if we’re going to celebrate the transcendence of values, why do so many persist in refusing to admit their mistakes — digging a deeper hole for themselves with the virtual certainty that the truth will ultimately be revealed?

Our pride will fight to the death to avoid embarrassment — and you'll remember that PRIDE was at the top of the list as the Mother of all Sins.

Too often, we convince ourselves that we can talk our way out of these predicaments.

We’re pretty sure we can obstruct the inquiries, muddy the facts and exchange an unwelcome hit to our ego for a more convenient storyline.

After all, the various versions of the story may be convoluted, there may be few witnesses and, if we’re in a more senior position, we may convince ourselves that our version will prevail.

​You could ask Jed York, owner of the San Francisco 49ers. How's that working out for him?

The Coverup Creates the Real Damage

At the root of the problem is our decision to weasel our way out of it — and we end up creating more problems than we solve.

That sends us down the wrong path — considering our alternatives, weighing our chances and deciding whether our story is strong enough to shift the blame elsewhere and spare us the embarrassment.

Apart from the ethical failure, history has shown over and over again that the more we deny, the more people dig.

And eventually, the truth comes out.

What might have earned a mild rebuke after an honest admission can become a career-ending injury after the coverup.

By then, the road to recovery becomes much more treacherous because we are trying to find stable footing in a battlefield we created ourselves.

Too bad — because the road to recovery can be a very simple one.

The Power of Admitting Our Mistakes

For so many leaders, there’s a tendency to believe they always need to be right.

Admitting an error is considered a weakness — a crack in the unspoken belief that I’m always right and, if I’m not, I’ll never admit it.

That’s what happens when you look through the wrong end of the telescope.

Here’s the irony: admitting a mistake doesn’t weaken a leader nearly as often as leaders fear.

Handled with integrity, it can actually strengthen your credibility, trust and influence — and demonstrate the humility and vulnerability that are hallmarks of great leaders.

On Wednesday, we’ll take a deeper dive to understand The 6 Powerful Benefits of Admitting Your Mistakes.

Don't Stop Leading!