Forbes: Leaders Will Make Mistakes During the Pandemic: Here’s How to Admit Yours and Still Stay Credible

As government and business leaders navigate the unprecedented challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, one thing has become evident: some in charge are willing to play it straight and admit when they are wrong, and others are unwilling to do so.

In recent days, we have seen the impact of the chief executive of this nation, making misstatements and refusing to own up to the error. The administration has chosen instead to gaslight the public, pretend its leader was speaking “sarcastically,” and essentially taking no responsibility for the impact their words have on the people that look to them for guidance.

In the corporate world, where I coach senior executives, we know that a leader’s words matter. An executive who says something in passing that ultimately is inaccurate or unfounded may seem harmless to them but cause their teams great concern. A few misconstrued phrases may cause people to act on them, perceiving such messages as a directive, not just a simple “musing out loud,” given the inherent power in the executive’s role.

Read the rest of this article in Forbes.