I like to think of myself as a dependable person–I try to be someone who others can count on to take care of things and get projects done. But as much as I work to be efficient and organized, there are inevitably things that slip through the cracks of my to-do list, things that I say when I should have been silent, or times when I just flat out do the wrong thing. When it happens, I’m disappointed with myself for letting others down.

Following up on a recent mistake I made, I took time to consider at least four traps that we can fall into when we fail. Maybe you can relate to some of these:

  1. We can stay quiet about it and hope that nobody notices.
  2. We can beat ourselves up about the problem, replaying it over and over in our minds.
  3. We can trivialize the mistake. Rather than considering the consequences of the error, we can pretend that it’s no big deal.
  4. We can try to soothe the pain of disappointment through food or entertainment.

But none of these four traps get things moving back in the right direction. Author and church planter Carey Nieuwhof suggests seven responses when dealing with mistakes, but I want to focus on five of them here:

  1. Be the first to break the news. We have a responsibility to let the team know.
  2. Fully state the seriousness of the problem. Don’t pretend that there are zero consequences.
  3. Own the problem completely, even if you didn’t directly cause it. Leadership requires ownership.
  4. Get input. Realize others on the team may have experience navigating a solution.
  5. Fix the system, not just the problem. Many times our mistakes are due to failed systems, and mistakes are opportunities to improve those systems.

These steps are helpful to move us from passive fear to proactive leadership, but God’s Word goes even further to address our hearts:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:1-2

Because of Jesus and His sacrifice for us, the weight of our sins and errors are paid for by Him. It’s this grace that allows us to lead without fear, resting with confidence in His finished work on the cross.

Blessings,