"The hidden cost of fearing mistakes"
If you expect to be let down, it’s easy to start gripping tighter. I’ve felt it, the urge to double-check, to hover, to control. After all, mistakes are inevitable. Even the most experienced people will slip. But here’s the danger: when fear of being let down drives our behaviour, we stop giving people the space to grow. We trade learning for control. And the team feels it. Yes, we can reduce risk. But we can’t erase it. The real choice is this: are we playing to win, or just playing not to lose? Leadership isn’t about preventing mistakes. It’s about building the confidence to recover and grow from them. Until next time, ✉️ Enjoying The Messy Middle? If someone sent this email your way and you’d like to get it direct, you can sign up here. |