The Rules of People

RULE 58

Don’t be scared to admit your mistakes

I used to work for a boss who would occasionally tell a story about his early days in the business. This was a guy I respected enormously, who was very talented, and good at listening to everyone else too. He never issued edicts from on high – his was always a collaborative approach. In one of these stories, he would talk about how he’d absolutely insisted that a particular product line was a hopeless idea, and recommended it be dropped. However, his colleagues overruled him, and the product turned out to be the most successful line they’d ever had at that time. He finished by saying how lucky it was they didn’t listen to him.

What is interesting about this is my reaction to the story. Here’s ...