Stop Making-Up To Be Infalliable!

One quality that draws me close to a leader as a magnet is his or her rare ability to say sorry when they are off beam. I appreciate that more than knowledge, charisma and finesse. Over the years, I have met with leaders who would never say sorry when they were obviously and noticeably wide of the mark. As far as they were concerned in those days, saying sorry would diminish them. They believed that it is anti-leadership to say sorry. This is one of the banes of the African man: he does not know how to say sorry—when he is wide of the mark.

On the 2nd of May, 2017 at around 10pm, my wife and I were talking about a pious organization that ended up becoming practically empty because of the decisive and essential issue I am raising today. The organization I am penning about used to be a very effervescent, bubbling and life-changing agent of change in the nation, but when the leadership became draconian and wouldn’t admit when they were wrong, there was a massive exodus and folks moved on with their lives. This happens in every generation. If you do not want those who are following you today to stop following you tomorrow, right now, you’d better make amends where necessary before it becomes too late.

What most of us in leadership are yet to understand is that those who are within out spheres of influence can read the hand-writing on the wall when we are off beam. It is not that they are looking for our mistakes, but it is just that they are not blind. They can see. And following a leader does not remove people’s brains. They can think for themselves. And while we pretend to be infallible, they can see clearly through the thick cloud of pretence that we are not. They know that we are humans, not angels!

The magnificence (and strength) of a leader comes to the fore when he is wide of the mark and he is humble enough to admit it. I know what I am declaring today is absolutely un-African. But to become effective and successful in leadership, we Africans need to become strong enough to admit our mistakes when we make them. Remember, weedy and feeble people do not admit mistakes, it is a virtue reserved only for the strong folks.

One of the things that attracted Nigerians to General Muhammadu Buhari was not because he said he would fight corruption to a stand-still. Fighting corruption has always been a slogan every four years in Nigeria, but when he openly admitted and accepted responsibility for every mistake made during his first reign as Nigeria’s head of state, the electorate’s hearts were drawn to him. Leaders—who admit mistakes draw people as a magnet, but leaders—who do not admit mistakes repel people!

Many leaders believe that it diminishes them to say, “I was wrong.” The truth is—we increase our stature when we are strong enough to admit our mistakes as leaders. Leaders who can honestly admit they are wrong are the most respected and admired leaders of all. Leaders who cannot admit mistakes are seen as pathetically insecure—especially when their mistakes are painfully obvious to everyone around them.

A man once went into a blacksmith shop. The blacksmith warned him, “Don’t touch those horseshoes; they are very hot.” Well, the man could not resist. He picked up a horseshoe—and as the skin of his hand began to sizzle, he flung that horse away from him. The black-smith said, “I told you those horseshoes were hot!” But the man said, “It was not hot; it just does not take me long to look at a horseshoe.” Instead of admitting his mistake, he lied to cover it up. I have met with many corporate, religious and political leaders as the man in that story. For the umpteenth time, stop pretending to be infallible!

I remember the first man to walk on the planet-earth. I am talking about Adam. Instead of him to honestly admit that he was wrong after kicking against God’s order, he began to blame someone else for his own mistake. Buddy, innumerable leaders have lost many fine men and women as an effect of this weakness. And our political leaders have lost the public trust as an effect of this weakness.

When leaders are accountable for their mistakes, they are leading by example. This elevates employee engagement to a point where leaders—by giving them permission not to fear making the wrong decision—are empowering employees to take more initiative, knowing that they are going to have the right answer. Also, when leaders admit to making mistakes, they create an opportunity to earn respect, strengthen their teams and lead by example. It ultimate builds a culture of trust.

Furthermore, why do folks find it very hard as diamond to admit their mistakes? Pride stands out! To admit you are wrong is to admit that, well, you are wrong. It means you are less than being perfect. Not as great as you portray to others that you are. It means you are fallible. It means you are not flawless. For a leader who has allowed pride to consume him or her, this makes it nearly impossible for them to admit and own a mistake with any sort of sincerity.

Lastly, making mistakes is such an important part of the leadership expedition. I am certainly not suggesting that you should become reckless when leading your people, but I am teaching you to be responsible to know why things did not work in your favor and how you could have approached things differently. You know why? It is because we live in a more short-term, rapid-paced world of work, as an effect of this, we need to be more mindful of pacing ourselves, to take the time to self-evaluate and learn from our mistakes as leaders.

See you where great leaders are found!