How comfortable are you with being found to be wrong?
Does being wrong make you feel exposed, uncertain and want to go running for the cover of something that feels more comfortable?
You’re not alone if it makes you feel uncomfortable.
What I’ve found with many of the leaders I’ve studied who exhibit what I’m calling a Big Bold Mindset is that whilst some may feel more naturally feel comfortable with being wrong, many if not most have had to develop this skill.
The late Sir Ken Robinson delivered one of the most inspiring TED talks of all time (link below) on how as we get older, we become less creative and feel less and less comfortable with being wrong.
Perhaps it’s that we have created a culture where making mistakes can be one of the worst things we can do.
To be a big bold leader, the ability to sit with that discomfort and to develop a different set of reactions is a core skill that needs to be mastered.
It starts with reflecting on what’s your comfort level with being found to be wrong, and then making a conscious choice to do something different about it.
To solve the challenges we have today in the world, and in our businesses, we have no choice other than to think bigger and bolder, and if our relationship with being found to be wrong inhibits that, it calls for work on our mindset and how we think about it.
The Big Bold Mindset™ launches on October 31st.
PS - If you’ve not watched Sir Ken Robinson’s highly entertaining TED talk, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
If you have watched Sir Ken Robinson’s highly entertaining TED talk, I can’t recommend watching it again highly enough.
It’s as relevant today as it was in 2006.
https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity?language=en