I F*cked Up!

I wasn’t sure if I was ready to write about this one today…but fuckit.   Here goes…

I fucked up last Friday.  

I started a new leadership group, got a handful of amazing leaders to say yes to it…then forgot to email 3 of them the actual cost and particulars email.   And I learned about it while on the intro Zoom call with most of the group. Ouch.

If you think like me, you’ll be like, “How the hell do you forget to email that??”

I know.   Gapped huge…

Here’s the thing though…

Leadership isn’t perfect.  

Leadership is not always big wins and acknowledgement.   Actually, it hardly ever is.

It’s small wins stacked up.   It’s growth.  It’s service.  It’s EQ.  It’s strong communication skills.  It’s honouring the person right in front of you and truly listening.  It’s earning every ounce of influence that people let you have.   It’s having some (or lots of) Vision.   It’s strategy.   It’s execution.  It’s people development.   …It’s all of these things.

But what it isn’t, is perfection.

I’m doing my best to atone for my mistake, apologize, and offer to make it better.   I’m owning it.   And I’m going to feel stupid about it for probably another week or so.

But I feel like those who know me, who are involved, won’t judge too harshly.   They won’t say, “I’ll never speak to him again!” or “He’s a shitty coach!”. 

And most importantly, I didn’t lose any friendships over it.

Here’s what I’d like you to takeaway from this:

1.      Leadership is messy.  In whatever way you lead – work, parenting, marriage, community – if you are seeking perfect then you are doing it wrong.   Expansion and leadership only come from mistaking and failing forward.  

2.      You have to be willing.    Willing to show up and apologize.  Willing to dig into errors and ensure they don’t happen again.  Willing to swallow your pride at times and just shut up and listen.  Willing to try and make up for mistakes.  And willing to own it.

3.      People who know you and like you will always have your back.   Intelligent people know how to forgive.  

Now go f*ck something up.  It’s your turn.  I’m done with that for this week.