Working for oneself involves navigating both exhilarating and terrifying challenges. Mistakes will occur, but the key lies in how they are addressed. Recognizing errors and responding promptly builds trust. A co-founder revised a paternity leave policy to ensure fairness after acknowledging an oversight. This incident underscores the importance of owning mistakes publicly and analyzing their root causes to prevent recurrence. Both accountability and a thorough review of decision-making processes can transform missteps into opportunities for growth.
The instinct to hide or downplay a mistake is strong. Resist it. Whether it's a pricing misstep, a bad hire or an ineffective product rollout, the fastest way to regain trust is to say: 'I made the wrong call - and here's what I'm doing about it.' Blame kills credibility. Accountability builds it.
Over time, you get better at managing the chaos. The panic subsides, and the wins get bigger. But the mistakes? They don't stop. They just change shape.
Collection
[
|
...
]