Mike 
I took a quick trip last weekend. Since I had been to my destination a couple of times, I relied on memory to get there. That usually works fine for me, and everything went well this time until the last half-mile. I got confused about the final turn, turned one street too early … and was going the wrong way on a one-way. Fortunately, there was no traffic and I was able to turn around quickly.
The following day, I drove past the same intersection and noticed the signage. The “Do Not Enter” and “One Way” signs were both properly posted and highly visible. How could I have missed them? The answer illustrates three important leadership mistakes and lessons.
- I was convinced that I knew where I was going. That’s why I didn’t take the time to check the directions or stop before I made the turn. There is a fine line between the confidence that a leader needs to have and the hubris that can blind a leader to an impending disaster.
- I had tunnel vision. In the moment of uncertainty about whether this was the right turn, I only focused on the name of the street and blocked out all the other signs. They were obvious, yet somehow I overlooked them. When facing a major decision, one of the most valuable things that a leader can do is slow down and seek a broader (or different) perspective. Few decisions are as urgent as we make them out to be.
- Everyone else assumed that I was right. I had two passengers in the car with me, but neither of them said a word. They have experienced me as a competent driver who knows where he is going. Leaders can condition those around them to remain quiet in a variety of ways: a scowl, aloofness, or even a track record of great decisions. Unlike my companions in the car, the people surrounding a leader shouldn’t just be along for the ride.
