5 Leadership Lessons: What I Got Wrong and What I Learned

The Importance of Admitting When You're Wrong

• 💡 Great leaders must be willing to be wrong, not just occasionally, but often. Being good at being wrong is key to growth.
• ⚠️ Early in leadership, passion is high but perspective is limited, leading to absolute statements that can become future limitations.
• 🚀 The world, teams, and leaders change; admitting you were wrong doesn't mean a lack of integrity, but a lack of information or adaptation to new circumstances.
• 🎯 Leaders should aim to be better, not just right. Being wrong can be a necessary step in that process.

Leading with Purpose Over Preferences

• 🎯 A leader's organization should not solely reflect their personal preferences, as this is limiting.
• 🧠 Leading by purpose means embracing diversity in thought, work styles, and decision-making, rather than expecting everyone to think and act like the leader.
• 📈 If everything must match your preferences, nothing will outgrow your leadership. Increasing tolerance for things outside your preference broadens impact.
• 🧩 Great leaders allow capable people to do things their way, even if it's not the leader's preferred method, as long as it aligns with mission and values.

Fair Expectations for Team Members

• ⚖️ While leaders can hold themselves to high standards, expectations for others must be fair and reasonable for their role, season, and capacity.
• 🚶‍♂️ It's unfair to expect team members to run at the same pace or carry the same weight as the leader, as they may lack the leader's support, capacity, or perspective.
• 🌱 The goal is to help individuals become their best in their current season, not to force them to be like the leader.
• ✅ Being kind, compassionate, clear, and fair with expectations allows great people to exceed them by feeling valued.

Navigating Success and Distractions

• ⚡ Success creates options, but too many options lead to distractions, which in turn diminish success.
• 🚫 Leaders must fight for focus and simplicity, understanding that