Being Right All the Time Makes the Rest of us Crazy

You may be right

You may be crazy

Classic lyrics from Billy Joel.

It's that delicious first part "you may be right"  that some people love so much. It can feel rewarding to have the answer, to be right so often that people turn to you for advice and look to you to lead the way.

Knowing and honing your craft, intellect and mining intelligence so that you can make great decisions and plan bold strategies is awesome. Go for it.

Be mindful of the 2nd part, the you may be crazy. That's when you have to be right, when the power or paranoia goes to your head and it's tough for you to:

• Listen to other perspectives
• Admit that you're wrong
• Show vulnerability

Sometimes our ego and sense of self-worth is dangerously wrapped up in being right or being perceived as the most knowledgeable, the one who never fails, never makes mistakes, and is never wrong.

But that does no service to you or anyone around you. We all make mistakes. Be open to alternatives, to knowing that:

you don't have to get it all right,

you don't have to have all the answers,

you can gracefully be wrong.

Lead yourself to the mindset that aims for accuracy and gracefully admits mistakes.

Lead others to consider multiple POVs, to avoid shutting others down, and to be right when it really matters (safety, security)  while allowing flexibility to explore, to collaborate, to innovate.