How ‘Learning Mode’ Can Help You Become a Better Leader.

Have you ever mismanaged a work situation?

Sure, we all have. How did you feel afterward? For me, I feel a pit in my stomach. Even if the situation happened months, or years ago, that feeling lingers.

When these moments happen, they can be quite painful. But we can also turn them into positives by learning from our mistakes. I call this learning mode. It can greatly help us right a wrong. Learning mode is a critical component of discovering more about ourselves and growing as well-rounded individuals.

Years ago, I struggled with managing conflict. Even as a leader, I took a position of weakness. In one particular instance, I avoided having a difficult conversation with a team member. If I had communicated transparently, he may have kept his job. My responsibility to him was to provide honest feedback. I needed to be direct yet compassionate about his performance while he still had a chance to course-correct. Instead, I contributed to an already-difficult problem by avoiding the situation.

I should have been honest and straightforward. I should have focused on the recipient, not my own feelings or emotions. I was so disappointed in myself that I had let someone down. I knew I needed to make some changes.

So, how did I change my approach? I took three steps:

  1. Grow in self-awareness—When I realized the consequences of not facing my fear and the associated costs of my indecision, it provided opportunities to improve myself and take new actions.
  2. Own it—I was so disappointed in myself because I initially avoided accountability. But when I admitted what I had done, I was able to move forward.
  3. Communicate—I learned that life sometimes requires difficult yet important conversations with people, not just sweeping challenging situations under the rug.

This is what learning mode looked like for me. Now I face these situations directly and know the outcome helps people grow and gain confidence.

Now, think about the times where you perhaps didn’t handle a work situation ideally. What does learning mode look like for you?