Page 198 - Roy W. Rice - CEO Material How to Be a Leader in Any Organization-McGraw-Hill (2009)

You Are Willing to Make Mistakes • 179

When I asked one CEO about mistakes he’s made, he paused and
really struggled with an answer about whether he’d made any. “I’m sure
I have, I guess. But I’ve never assessed it. I just keep moving. Now, as you
get me thinking about it, things have gone wrong, like my intent
not accomplished, cost overruns, projects not completed on schedule.
But I just did my mea culpas, fessed up, and made sure everyone knew
I learned from it. I viewed it as an opportunity to build trust and confi-
dence in my people by my willingness to improve from it.”
Work so hard and courageously that it is inevitable that you’ll make
mistakes. Never hide them. Always admit, correct, fix, and then keep
going. Encourage others above, alongside, and below you to do the same.
This is how the entire organization gets better and moves forward.