There’s a moment in my favorite sitcom, Aaron Sorkin’s Sports Night, when one of the lead characters, tv producer Dana Whitaker, acknowledges her failings in the situation. She (Felicity Huffman) says to her boss, Isaac Jaffe (Robert Guillaume):
Dana: We did a big thing badly.
from Sports Night Episode 105, “Mary Pat Shelby”
Isaac: I know.
Dana: Can I try and fix it?
Isaac: Go.
As a leader I hold onto the attitude of both of the leaders in that scene.
Dana recognizes her mistake and wants to fix it. That takes vulnerability and self-knowledge as a leader.
Isaac saw the mistake already, and let Dana fail. Then, when she recognized her mistake, he didn’t punish her: he empowered her to move forward.
That’s leadership.