As with many of our blog posts, this month’s topic emerged from conversations with leaders—especially those who deeply care about the people entrusted to them, while also remaining committed to ensuring that the critical work they are charged with is carried out at the highest level.
This unique dual focus on getting the job done AND the team coming together (we believe) can only be described as going ‘beyond what is natural’ for most leaders. As such, it is, by definition, supernatural.
For leaders, this depth of care is their superpower, short for supernatural power.
However, in our experience, we must also acknowledge that these very strengths, when left unmanaged, can become the factors that undermine our ability to achieve organizational objectives while simultaneously caring for the people entrusted to us to accomplish them.
In two of my most recent conversations with leaders, their intense desire to “get it right”, and the frustration of falling short, manifested as self-criticism once new information revealed that a previously held belief or assumption was incomplete or incorrect. This realization often shows up as leaders reprimanding themselves for what they believe they “should have known” or “should have seen coming,” when, in reality, operating within uncertain and ambiguous environments makes either of those expectations unrealistic, if not impossible.
The Cost of Unrealistic Expectations
Their drive to “do the right thing” for both the organization and its people, at the highest level possible, is often what sets these leaders apart and fuels their exceptional success. However, this same strength can become problematic when it leads them to impose unrealistic expectations on themselves: believing they should have known every possible factor that could result in an undesirable outcome and should have already acted to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Do not beat yourself up for something that you did not know!
Instead, we encourage leaders to NOT beat themselves up for something that they did not know and instead identify updated information that challenges our own beliefs and assumptions as opportunities to learn, grow, and develop. In our experience, this mindset combats the false narrative that leaders must: (1) know everything, (2) do everything, and (3) never make a mistake. All three things that are not possible for any human. When leaders release themselves from these unrealistic expectations, they become more open to seeing moments of being wrong not as failures, but as opportunities to update their own beliefs and to refine, improve, and strengthen organizational operations and actions.
Becoming ‘Less Wrong’ Through Learning
Daniel Kahneman said something to the effect of, ‘No one enjoys being wrong, but I do enjoy having been wrong, because it means I am now less wrong than I was before’.[1]
As a result, leaders not only become ‘less wrong’ through their own learning but also set the example for the entire organization to espouse a culture of learning, development, and growth. A culture that encourages decisive action that stems from a ‘safe to fail’ mindset at every level. To be clear, a “safe to fail” environment does not imply a reckless or careless approach. Rather, it is one grounded in the same supernatural care and concern for both the mission and the people responsible for accomplishing that mission.
So that we can all enjoy having BEEN wrong as it means that we are all less wrong than we were before!
If you’re interested in exploring how we can assist your organization, we invite you to reach out for a complimentary consultation. Let’s discuss how we can help you achieve your desired outcomes and move forward with confidence.
[1] Nesterak, E. (2021, February 8). “Your ideas are not your identity”: Adam Grant on how to get better at changing your mind. Behavioral Scientist. https://behavioralscientist.org/your-ideas-are-not-your-identity-adam-grant-on-how-to-get-better-at-changing-your-mind/
