On Being Sorry
14th November 2005
Stephen Covey wrote in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People something to the effect that it is not important if, as a leader, you make mistakes. People can, and do, forgive mistakes. What is more critical, what people find unforgiveable, is the reluctance to admit that you were wrong. Such reluctance reflect a duplicity and an acute lack of courage and transparency that betray the toxic leader.
Earlier in my brief analysis of Kings Saul and David of the Old Testament, in trying to understand leadership principles from their lives, I suggested that this quality-the willingness to admit your wrongs-was key to authentic leadership. So, when John Edwards wrote this piece in the Washington Post, was he practising good, principled, servant leadership? Or was he displaying characteristics of toxicity? What do you think?
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