I wish someone had told me early on that being a good director or decision maker is not measured by making only correct decisions.
That would have reduced the pressure for many of us who initially thought we will only be ready to lead once we can guarantee ourselves that we will only and always make right decisions.
The truth is, we can build good experience by both good and bad decisions. In fact, bad judgement often provides the most fertile learning ground for entrenching skills.
I am sure you have felt the pain of making the wrong decision. However painful, regrettable or embarrassing that might be, we need to be able to immediately recognise, accept and own that the decision was incorrect.
What is most important is to learn that this poor decision and its subsequent consequences should build in you a resolute ability to not repeat it. When you make and learn from a mistake, you should become particularly sensitive to that area.
Your experience makes you better for a number of reasons. Firstly, you are now able to accurately predict the future by anticipating probable outcomes in that area. You now know how to spot early warning signs or red flags that you were unable to spot leading up to the previous mistake.
That is experience. Secondly, your bad judgement should give you a high level of conviction about a matter because you personally would not want to involve yourself in the same matter.
This makes for leaders and directors with a high sense of conviction. Good judgement often comes from experience. And experience often comes from bad judgement.
