In the fifth of a six-part series of blogs about the growth of The Little Potato Company (LPC), and the leadership CEO/co-founder Angela Santiago, we talk about how she values making mistakes and relishes not knowing everything.
News flash: leaders don’t have all the answers.
But mature leaders know they don’t, and are willing to talk about it. They see mistakes as rich opportunities to grow and improve.
For Angela, those abilities are worn like a badge of honour.
She refers to the lessons learned from mistakes as jewels inside ‘treasure boxes’ filled with wisdom you can carry with you on your journey. In this clip, Angela discusses how mistakes are the building blocks that prepare you for the next challenge.
“Learning is all about extracting and harvesting the lessons – good or bad.
We often blow by them in life. We can’t talk about it…it was embarrassing or too painful. But…if you pause for a moment and open them up…
there are pieces of wisdom inside.”
Mistakes Make Better Leaders
Tough, constructive feedback is also critical to mature and grow, as a leader. (Chapter 9, Your Oxygen Mask First)). While we all appreciate praise, this is the fuel we need to get stronger and grow.
Having the humility to discuss your mistakes and share the lessons with others sets a positive example for your team—and your family. Listen as Angela and I discuss how learning from others’ experiences helps us become better leaders.
Now that Angela’s kids are in their 20s, she says that sharing her experiences is a much more effective way of parenting. They don’t want to be told what to do, but they do want to hear about – and can learn from – your experiences. I think up-and-coming leaders are the same.
A Sign of Maturity
Think back to when you were 20 years old: you were likely confident and terrified at the same time and would never admit you didn’t know something or had made a mistake.
Over time, you realize everyone is just trying to figure it out and do their best, including you.
In fact, knowing that you don’t have all the answers and being willing to talk about the mistakes you make, actually gives you more credibility. In this clip we talk about the journey to leadership maturity.
For more, here are links to our recent LPC Case Study and watch the full interview with Angela below.
Other Blogs
- Embracing Painful Mistakes: The Unforeseen Path to Success
- Common Mistakes Leaders Make
- 6 BHAG Mistakes to Avoid
Older Podcasts
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