I’m Bob….is the message on a t-shirt I received several years ago from some of my employees. I was grateful for the thoughtfulness and respect that accompanied the gift.
Yet, I never wore it in front of employees and very seldom wore it around family members (members of both groups could disprove the statement in a matter of minutes). While I appreciated the humor behind the gift, I felt the message did not convey the style of leadership that I used, mentored, and promoted.
If being honest, even our greatest leaders could tell you about times in which they were obviously wrong. Still, many people have met a leader who presents an aura of never being wrong and always being the smartest person in the room. Usually, they aren’t.
Some have had the pleasure of working for a leader like this. Often when they are proven wrong, their inclination is to double down on their opinion or decision. They like to surround themselves with employees whose duties appear to include propping up their egos.
Here is my advice to the up-and-coming leaders:
You need to know something about every aspect of your business. However, you don’t need to know everything about every aspect of the business.
Hire people who are smarter than you and give them the support they need to succeed and permission to tell you when they think you are wrong. When they do, listen to them and thoughtfully consider their feedback.
On those occasions in which you are the smartest person in the room, be humble and listen to others. Give them the respect they deserve.
It’s not a weakness to be wrong on occasion. When that happens, correct the error. It is a weakness to think that you are always right!
