So here I sit debating whether or not I should resend my Monthly Minute newsletter after noticing 2 spelling errors. I used spell check, but missed these two words somehow. Oh well. I’m not perfect. Do I risk offending my subscribers by sending them a “corrected” version or just hope that most of them don’t notice or don’t care? I’m happy to admit I made a mistake, but I’m not sure doing so will matter.

This got me thinking. How often do managers or business owners or coaches or parents admit they are wrong or made a mistake? What is the risk of admitting fault as compared to not doing so? While it most likely will depend on the situation and the people involved, it is generally a good rule to at least acknowledge the truth.

I have found that honesty is the best policy. When I first started teaching I was hesitant to admit I had made a mistake for fear that my students would think I didn’t know the material or question my fairness in grading. However, I found students are very forgiving when you admit you made a mistake, most of the time. They tend to trust and respect me more for admitting my error(s). I find this to be true with clients too.

I haven’t always been quick to admit fault. But it is so freeing to do so. In the workplace it improves your relationship with your staff. Consider two options. The first is to pretend like you didn’t make the mistake and place blame on someone else, probably your staff. When you do this you create conflict – conflict that could have been avoided. Now your staff doesn’t trust you, they don’t believe you know your stuff, and they are resentful that you blamed them. The second option is to admit your mistake. Your staff won’t resent you and they will probably develop a greater trust toward you. They know that we all make mistakes so it is unlikely they will start to doubt your abilities, unless you make BIG mistakes a lot.

Try it and see if it works. Maybe try it at home before taking the plunge at the office. You might just find your personal relationships start to improve too. Good luck.