There are many things that Leaders are called to have and be.
But perhaps one of the things we often do not think about which Leaders are called to have is the Courage to be Wrong.
I know what you may be thinking, Leaders have to have the Courage to be Wrong?
Our natural inclination is to think that Leaders are supposed to Guide us to What is Right and Better.
This is True in many ways, but part of what is required to get to Right and Better is the Courage to be Wrong.
Why is this?
Well, there are a few Reasons.
The first is that you can Never be Right "All" the Time.
On the Journey to whatever is Right and Better, you will Inevitably Encounter Moments of Being Wrong.
Likely Many Moments.
As a Leader, you must be willing to move through those Moments if you ever are going to have a Chance of getting to the Goal.
It is easy to Go Down a Path being Ignorant of the Truth.
But can you Still Go Down that Path "Knowing" the Truth that You Will Be Wrong at Times?
If you can answer Yes to that, your Chances of being Successful will Dramatically Increase.
Most people take on the Role of "Leader" Oblivious to the Inevitability of Failure, and when it eventually Hits, it Crushes them.
But if you Face Reality with Courage, you are much more Likely to Overcome the Failures when they do come.
However, this isn't the only reason you must have the Courage to be Wrong.
The Truth is that All Innovation Requires us to go through Long Periods of Being Wrong.
In Creating the Future to make things that are Better, you must Innovate.
Inherent to Innovation is Moving into what is Unknown, and that is by Definition, Unknown.
Due to the Nature of things being Unknown, you as a Leader will face many Questions that have Never had Answers.
You can think of it like Riddles that have never been Answered before.
How many Wrong Answers can you give before you give up?
If you are a Leader who Truly wants to Innovate, you will be faced with being Wrong Frequently.
If you hope to get the Answer to the Riddles that Exist, you will have to Overcome each and every instance of being Wrong.
There is still one more Reason you must have the Courage to be Wrong as a Leader.
When you Understand that You "Will" be Wrong, there is something else you must be Ready to Face.
The Consequences of Being Wrong.
In Physics they say that Every Action has an Equal and Opposite Reaction.
This is as True in Business as it is in Physics.
Every Choice you Make, and every Course of Action you Follow, will have a Consequence.
Some of those Consequences may end up being Small.
Others may be Extreme.
As you Move Higher in Leadership, the Reality is that the Consequences become more and more Extreme.
When you Lead yourself, the Consequences have to do with yourself.
When you Lead a Team of 10, the Consequences have to do with yourself, those 10 you Lead, and those they take care of.
But what are the Stakes when the Team becomes 50?
What about with a Team of 100?
A Business of 1,000?
An Organization of 10,000?
An Enterprise of 100,000?
What about when it Impacts Millions?
Are you Ready to Handle the Consequences of when you are Wrong?
Most Leaders are not Truly Ready to handle the Consequences of their Choices.
The Impact goes Significantly Further than they Realize.
That Pressure?
That Dis-Stress?
It can Decimate a Leader.
It is all the more Reason that a Leader must have the Courage to be Wrong.
If you are not Ready to handle that Level of Wrong, you have not Truly gained the Courage the Face it, it will Tear you Apart.
Before you start the Path as a Leader, Understand what it "Truly" Means to be Wrong.