Shared Slipups

Mistakes teach faster than manuals. But only if they're visible. And shared before they sit quietly and start to build up.

When a leader owns a mistake in front of their team, something powerful happens. The room relaxes. People stop pretending everything is perfect. They stop tiptoeing. It sends a message that trying, failing and learning is part of the job - not a threat to it.

Most teams don't freeze from lack of skill. They freeze from fear. Fear of saying the wrong thing. Fear of trying something new. Fear of being the only one who didn't get it right. But when a leader steps up and says, “Here's what I got wrong, here's what I learned and here's what I'm changing,” that fear starts to fade.

Because the next time something goes sideways, there's no hiding. You've already shown how it's done - how to take ownership, how to bounce back.

But don't overdo it. This isn't about dumping your insecurities on your team or confessing every minor wobble. It's not a therapy session. Oversharing makes people uneasy.

So keep it simple. Share what's useful. Wrap it in action. Frame the mistake as a lesson, not a spiral. Make it clear you're learning faster than before - and pulling the team forward with you.