Let’s talk about a leadership trait that’s often misunderstood but deeply respected: owning your mistakes.
We live in a world where everyone’s tempted to protect their image, shift blame, or “spin” the facts. But here’s what 25 years in public safety operations and special operations has taught me: real leaders don’t point fingers; they point forward. They take the hit, own the moment, and move with integrity. That’s not weakness. That’s MAGNUS strength.
Whether you lead a tactical unit, a high-performance business team, or a household, acknowledging mistakes is one of the most courageous and catalytic things you can do. This article examines the research-backed benefits of admitting errors, the psychological and cultural barriers that hinder this approach, and how to cultivate a culture of responsibility that benefits everyone.
Why Admitting Mistakes Makes You a Stronger Leader
Accountability isn’t just about ethics; it’s a performance enhancer. Leaders who admit their mistakes gain credibility, foster trust, and model the kind of learning mindset that’s essential in high-stakes environments.
Research confirms this:
Individuals who acknowledge mistakes demonstrate higher learning agility and experience improved performance over time (Owens & Hekman, 2012).
Leaders who demonstrate humility and own their errors build deeper trust and stronger team bonds (Avey, Palanski, & Walumbwa, 2011).
Acknowledgment of mistakes is associated with increased job satisfaction and employee engagement (Owens, Johnson, & Mitchell, 2013).
Admitting errors strengthens perceived leadership effectiveness, especially in complex or uncertain environments (Hsiung, 2014).
When you acknowledge your mistake, you’re not just correcting a misstep; you’re creating a moment of trust and teaching.
Why Admitting Mistakes Feels So Hard
Despite the upside, most people struggle with this. Why? Because owning a mistake hits us right where it hurts: our ego, our identity, and sometimes even our career security.
Common barriers include:
Fear of criticism or failure: The internal narrative says, “If I admit this, I’ll lose credibility.”
Perceived threat to competence: Leaders often tie their worth to being infallible.
Lack of accountability culture: If no one else owns their stuff, why should I?
Toxic organizational norms: In environments where mistakes are punished, people learn to hide them.
However, the truth is that humility scales have an influence. And when leaders model accountability, others follow.
How to Build a Culture That Celebrates Responsibility
If you want a high-performing culture, you must normalize and even celebrate ownership of mistakes. Here’s how:
1. Model Vulnerability at the Top
The humility to say “I got it wrong” must begin with leadership. Culture cascades from behavior, not policy.
2. Reframe Mistakes as Data
Mistakes aren’t moral failures; they’re signals. Learn from them, debrief with them, and use their insights to course-correct.
Insight: Learning-focused cultures outperform blame-focused cultures in agility and innovation (Edmondson, 1999).
3. Build Psychological Safety
Make it safe for others to speak up. No sarcasm. No shaming. Just clear, calm, forward-looking correction.
4. Acknowledge and Move
Don’t over-apologize. Take ownership, clarify the fix, and redirect the energy toward progress.
5. Recognize Accountability Publicly
Reward people who take responsibility. Promote those who model ownership. Let it be known that honesty is strength here.
Tactical Leadership Truth: Be Pointy, Not a Pointer
In tactical operations, I never respected the person who barked from the back and dodged blame. I respected the leader who was at the tip of the spear, the one who would say, “That was on me,” then lead the charge forward.
That’s the essence of being “pointy”:
You face forward.
You cut through chaos.
You carry the weight.
Pointing fingers won’t fix the system. Pointing the way will. And it starts with one phrase that separates the good from the great: “That’s on me.”
Call to Action: Normalize Mistakes. Multiply Growth.
Here’s your leadership challenge:
Reflect: Where have I fallen short, and did I own it or spin it?
Ask: Do people on my team feel safe admitting their missteps?
Act: What story do I want others to tell when they watch me fail and recover?
We all stumble. That’s human. However, high-performing leaders own up to the stumble, learn from it, and invite others to do the same.
Be authentic. Be humble. Be intentional. Be MAGNUS.
References
Avey, J. B., Palanski, M. E., & Walumbwa, F. O. (2011). When leadership goes unnoticed: The moderating role of follower self-esteem on the relationship between ethical leadership and follower behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 98(4), 573–582. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-010-0610-2
Hsiung, H. H. (2014). Authentic leadership and employee voice behavior: A multi-level psychological process. Journal of Business Ethics, 123(1), 79–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1792-2
Owens, B. P., & Hekman, D. R. (2012). Modeling how to grow: An inductive examination of humble leader behaviors, contingencies, and outcomes. Academy of Management Journal, 55(4), 787–818. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2010.0441
Owens, B. P., Johnson, M. D., & Mitchell, T. R. (2013). Expressed humility in organizations: Implications for performance, teams, and leadership. Organization Science, 24(5), 1517–1538. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0795
Edmondson, A. C. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999