I recently admitted a major strategic mistake to my leadership team, hoping to build trust, but instead, it seems to have caused anxiety and a drop in execution confidence. How do I balance vulnerability with executive authority?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Sharing vulnerability is essential for building trust, but as the leader, you must balance vulnerability with a clear path forward. If you share a major mistake without providing a plan to resolve it, your team will experience anxiety, leading to a drop in operational confidence.

To restore confidence, you must pivot from acknowledging the mistake to leading the solution. Bring the team together and address the issue openly in your next Level 10 Meeting™. Explain the context of the decision, what went wrong, and most importantly, the specific lessons learned from the experience.

Next, focus on the V/TO® and the long-term vision. Show them that while this mistake was a setback, it does not change your destination or your belief in the team's ability to get there. Use the IDS® process to collaborate on immediate, actionable steps to correct the course and mitigate any risks.

Vulnerability should never look like helplessness. Your team needs to see that you are willing to own your failures, but they also need to see your strength, resilience, and commitment to the vision. By combining raw honesty with decisive action, you will turn a momentary setback into a powerful trust-building experience that strengthens your leadership team's alignment.