Amidst the deluge of tributes flowing to John McCain upon the occasion of his death is the noting of the Senator’s flaws. Rarely, if ever, have we praised such an esteemed individual at the same time talked about his mistakes.
Typically, such things are whispered in backrooms but not broadcast on television. Not so with McCain, the word “flawed” is often heard. And with good reason. Because they have John McCain’s permission to do so.
After all, when asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper last year how he’d like to be remembered, McCain said, “served his country and not always right. Made a lot of mistakes. Made a lot of errors, but served his country. And I hope we could add honorably."
Columnist Jena McGregor, who writes on leadership for the Washington Post, cited examples of others saying they admired McCain because he never shied from admitting his mistakes. McGregor quotes Jonah Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, as writing, “There is no reward in American politics for public displays of self-awareness or self-criticism. And yet, John McCain understood human nature, and his own nature, enough to state the plausible: that in moments of great testing, it is possible for any human, including the bravest human, to fail.”
What McGregor’s theme reveals is a strength. Weak executives never admit mistakes because they live in constant fear of being found out, of being not worthy of their positions, of being replaced sooner than later. And so, when faced with adversity, they either run from it, point the finger at others, or say nothing. Not so with leaders. They own their frailties.
Lady Lytton, someone who knew Winston Churchill well, once said, “The first time you see Winston Churchill you see all his faults, and the rest of your life you spend discovering his virtues.”
Churchill could be intemperate, meddlesome, and bombastic but he could also be kind and magnanimous. His public image was that of a gruff warrior – which indeed he was as a combat veteran and leader of others in combat – but he was also a blubbering sop when acknowledging his love for those he admired – wife, family, friends and colleagues. Churchill too knew his shortcomings, and freely admitted them. None was as calamitous than his insistence on sending troops to Gallipoli in Turkey in 1915. It was a decision that resulted in the deaths of many thousands of Australian and New Zealand troops as well as his demotion from the War Cabinet. He later wrote, “Looking back, with after-knowledge and increasing years, I seem to have been too ready to undertake tasks which were hazardous or even forlorn.”
Leaders like McCain and Churchill – as well as the many leaders we know personally – do not dwell on defeat. They mourn their errors, but they move forward. Another lesson for those in leadership positions. Never let the loss define you; let your struggle to improve be your legacy.
Examples of leaders who stand and admit error – either political, personal or practical – are those who are comfortable in their own skin. They know they have weaknesses, but they also know they are right to be in charge. Why? Because they know how to encourage followership. When a leader asks for assistance, he is saying, “Hey I need your expertise. Can you help me?” When a subordinate hears a boss ask for assistance, it positions that person as one who is knowledgeable as well as trusted.
The complexities of running an enterprise larger than ten (or is it five?) demand that executives learn to ration their time. They have to focus on big-picture items, that is, where does the organization go next and how will it get there? Mastery of detail may have built a business, but it won’t run it. Therefore, the boss must learn to apply her expertise where it will do the most good. And that’s why admitting what you don’t know and why not reveals humility.
Making mistakes admitting them is not a pathway to success by itself, you need to ensure that you rectify what you have done wrong, make amends, and fix things right before you can go forward. Leaders who can do this are the ones we want to follow because they are human after all.
NOTE: This post owes its origin to a tweet by NPR's Scott Simon noting commentators referring to Senator McCain as "admirable but flawed."
