“We are wrong. We have been wrong for a long time but we did not know it. Now we know and we will fix it. We apologize and we thank you for bringing this up.”
I recently spoke these words 5 minutes into what was supposed to be a one-hour call to discuss a controversial issue. There were 8 people on the line, three of “us” against five of “them”. The other side was ready for a battle and feared a bad outcome.
The call ended just a few minutes later, with a great sense of relief from the other side.
And a great sense of peace from our side.
Yet another reminder of the awesome power of humility and shared purpose.
The Ethical Leader 