To be a good manager – or just a good person – doesn’t mean we need to be perfect.
Being a good manager simply means that when we make mistakes, we:
- Apologise to the affected person (or people) for the mistake and the hurt, discomfort or inconvenience caused
- Own the mistake by working to change our behaviour and prevent it from happening again
Nobody is perfect. To be imperfect is to be human.
And striving for perfection is a prescription for unhappiness and self-torture.
Instead, just aim to get most things right, most of the time – with a bias for always getting a little bit better.
And have the self-awareness to catch mistakes early, the grace to own and apologise for them when we do, and the humility to work on improving ourselves in ways that build trust and strengthen relationships.
This applies in all our relationships, professional and personal.
This post was inspired by the excellent work of Stephanie Harrison and a recent video of hers: She has one of the most meaningful and impactful social media presences of anyone I follow. Check her out!
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