10 Ways Great Leaders Handle Mistakes

This week has been great with the response that you all have given me on social media. One of the posts that I placed on social media really took off, and I thought might be a great topic of discussion this week. Leadership is one of the more popular topics that I get an amazing response from my audience and I was really surprised by the post centering around leadership mistakes and well how a good leader handles those things.

 Here is the post that I made on Facebook that great leaders don’t let their mistakes go unresolved. I feel that everyone one of use has had the opportunity to work for really great leaders and then some well… not so great ones.

 When people make mistakes, one of the key things about them is really how they handle those mistakes. We don’t always realize that when we make mistakes there are so many people that are watching, and waiting to see what our next move will be. This also leads into our true character and if we have a strong sense of integrity.

So, how do great leaders handle mistakes?

Here are my 10 tips on what I feel a great leader does when making a mistakes and how they handle them.

Great leaders handle mistakes effectively by adopting a growth mindset and demonstrating a range of qualities that promote learning, resilience, and progress. Here are some ways they handle mistakes:

Acknowledgment: Great leaders accept responsibility for their mistakes and do not shy away from admitting them. This sets a positive example for their team, fostering a culture of honesty and accountability.

Learning from mistakes: Effective leaders use mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow. They analyze the situation to understand what went wrong and how to prevent similar errors in the future.

Encourage open communication: Great leaders create an environment where team members feel comfortable discussing their mistakes openly. This helps to identify issues early and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

Offer support and guidance: When team members make mistakes, great leaders provide the necessary support, resources, and guidance to help them overcome challenges and learn from the experience.

Emphasize the importance of failure: Successful leaders understand that failure is an integral part of growth and progress. They encourage their teams to take calculated risks and view setbacks as opportunities for learning.

Focus on solutions: Instead of dwelling on the mistake itself, great leaders work with their team to find solutions and develop strategies for improvement.

Practice empathy: Leaders who are empathetic can better understand the feelings of their team members, creating a supportive atmosphere that encourages learning and growth.

Cultivate resilience: Effective leaders demonstrate resilience in the face of setbacks and model this behavior for their team, helping them to develop their own resilience and perseverance.

Reflect and adjust: Great leaders regularly reflect on their actions and decisions, making adjustments when necessary to improve their leadership style and better support their  team.

Lead by example: By modeling transparency, humility, and a growth mindset, great leaders inspire their team to embrace these values and continuously strive for improvement

When looking at these 10 things one can really see that a great leader owns the mistakes that they are making. They also act with integrity when they have these mistakes. Even during times that are hard, making sure that we act with integrity and ownership really helps leaders in the long run.

If you are interested in more information on leadership and different ways that you are able to grow your career, check out my blog or podcast where I give weekly tips and articles on how to move yourself forward.

Until next time!