--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Two elements of successful leadership: a…" description: "\"Two elements of successful leadership: a willingness to be wrong and an eagerness to admit it.\" — Seth Godin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/seth-godin-152_eagerness_two-elements-of-successful-leadership-a_2321276.png" --- # Two elements of successful leadership: a willingness to be… ![“Two elements of successful leadership: a willingness to be wrong and an eagerness to admit it.” quote by Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/seth-godin-152_eagerness_two-elements-of-successful-leadership-a_2321276.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/seth-godin-152_eagerness_two-elements-of-successful-leadership-a_2321276.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/seth-godin-152_eagerness_two-elements-of-successful-leadership-a_2321276.png) > “Two elements of successful leadership: a willingness to be wrong and an eagerness to admit it.” [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective leadership requires humility to accept mistakes and openness to acknowledge them publicly. **In simple terms:** Leaders must admit when they’re wrong. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and admit errors. Themes leadership humility accountability Mood reflective encouraging Type advice motivational When to use this quote - team meetings - crisis management - performance reviews - public statements Key Concepts psychology organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - How does admitting mistakes affect team trust? - When should a leader choose to stay silent? A Different Perspective Admitting fault can undermine perceived authority if not balanced with competence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eagerness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eagerness/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-leadership/) [Willingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willingness/) ## Related quotes > [That's what world leadership is: A willingness to point at bad guys and say they're the bad guys and to keep the bad guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/that-s-what-world-leadership-is-a-willingness-to-point-at-bad-guys/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I hereby arm myself for today with coffee and the willingness to be wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-assad/i-hereby-arm-myself-for-today-with-coffee-and-the-willingness-to-be/) Audrey Assad > [Leadership is the willingness to put oneself at risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/leadership-is-the-willingness-to-put-oneself-at-risk/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [The true price of leadership is the willingness to place the needs of others above your own. Great leaders truly care about those they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/the-true-price-of-leadership-is-the-willingness-to-place-the-needs-of/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [I don't subscribe to, 'Here are the top ten tips to successful leadership,' or, 'How to learn leadership in ten minutes.' A leader is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/i-don-t-subscribe-to-here-are-the-top-ten-tips-to-successful/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [So long as the global economy continues to recover, that remains Obama's No. 1 claim to successful leadership. Nothing else even comes close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/so-long-as-the-global-economy-continues-to-recover-that-remains-obama/) [Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/) > [If we want leaders to make good decisions amid huge complexity, and learn how to build great teams, then we should send them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cummings/if-we-want-leaders-to-make-good-decisions-amid-huge-complexity-and/) [Dominic Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cummings/) > [“Set your stage of successful leadership so that your team will have a place to operate from and lead with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/set-your-stage-of-successful-leadership-so-that-your-team-will-have-a/) Anyaele Sam Chiyson > [To grasp and hold a vision, that is the very essence of successful leadership-not only on the movie set where I learned it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/to-grasp-and-hold-a-vision-that-is-the-very-essence-of-successful/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Absolute identity with one's cause is the first and great condition of successful leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/absolute-identity-with-one-s-cause-is-the-first-and-great-condition/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [“Biblical literacy is not to be confused with Christian maturity. Homiletic accuracy is not the same as godliness. Theological dexterity is very different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/biblical-literacy-is-not-to-be-confused-with-christian-maturity/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Agile leaders encourage their teams to adjust and experiment constantly. In today's age of oversharing, the best leaders also have to be more open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-rottenberg/agile-leaders-encourage-their-teams-to-adjust-and-experiment/) [Linda Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rottenberg/) > [“The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/the-key-to-successful-leadership-is-influence-not-authority/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [One key to successful leadership is continuous personal change. Personal change is a reflection of our inner growth and empowerment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-quinn/one-key-to-successful-leadership-is-continuous-personal-change/) [Robert E. Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-quinn/) > [Leadership doesn't mean giving marching orders that others must follow blindly. Rather, it means causing others to want to follow. Successful leadership is personal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-heim/leadership-doesn-t-mean-giving-marching-orders-that-others-must/) [Pat Heim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-heim/) ## More by Seth Godin > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The easier it is to quantify, the less it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-easier-it-is-to-quantify-the-less-it-s-worth/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Developing expertise or assets that are not easily copied is essential; otherwise you're just a middleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/developing-expertise-or-assets-that-are-not-easily-copied-is/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Leadership is a choice. It's the choice not to do nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/leadership-is-a-choice-it-s-the-choice-not-to-do-nothing/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The next thing you do today will be the most important thing on your agenda, because, after all, you're doing it next. Well, perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-next-thing-you-do-today-will-be-the-most-important-thing-on-your/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I look at Starbucks, Howard Schultz has made many brilliant decisions, and one of the things that they did was they invented the third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-look-at-starbucks-howard-schultz-has-made-many-brilliant-decisions/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Be relentlessly generous, without focusing on when it will come back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/be-relentlessly-generous-without-focusing-on-when-it-will-come-back/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The public square is more public than ever, but minds are rarely changed in 140 character bursts and by selfies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-public-square-is-more-public-than-ever-but-minds-are-rarely/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Making an average pitch to average people, or having an average gala for average people isn't going to scale anymore. You've got to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/making-an-average-pitch-to-average-people-or-having-an-average-gala/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Our job is to make change. Our job is to connect to people, to interact with them in a way that leaves them better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/our-job-is-to-make-change-our-job-is-to-connect-to-people-to-interact/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“Life is actually far better than it is in the movies. And it takes longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/life-is-actually-far-better-than-it-is-in-the-movies-and-it-takes/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I don't think there's a shortage of remarkable ideas. I think your business has plenty of great opportunities to do great things. Nope, what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-shortage-of-remarkable-ideas-i-think-your/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The mirror we hold up to the person next to us is one of the most important pictures she will ever see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-mirror-we-hold-up-to-the-person-next-to-us-is-one-of-the-most/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you're a marketer who doesn't know how to invent, design, influence, adapt, and ultimately discard products, then you're no longer a marketer. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/if-you-re-a-marketer-who-doesn-t-know-how-to-invent-design-influence/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) [Explore all 1,110 Seth Godin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) ## More Eagerness quotes > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-zealous-disciple-expressed-a-desire-to-teach-others-the-truth-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [I found a special eagerness among the younger, and I am sorry to say, the more intelligent Negroes, to dismiss the spiritual as something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/i-found-a-special-eagerness-among-the-younger-and-i-am-sorry-to-say/) [Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/) > [I arise full of eagerness and energy, knowing well what achievement lies ahead of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/i-arise-full-of-eagerness-and-energy-knowing-well-what-achievement/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [“morning,” Kenny remarked, his fingers clutching at the glass with remarkable eagerness. “Who the fuck cares?” “Point taken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-reed/morning-kenny-remarked-his-fingers-clutching-at-the-glass-with/) [J.C. Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-reed/) > [There is surely no more unselfish person than the anthologist. For while all we others are striving to ensure our own immortality with eagerness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-webb/there-is-surely-no-more-unselfish-person-than-the-anthologist-for/) [Mary Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-webb/) > [One great flaw in the reforming passion is that in its eagerness to remedy social wrongs it tends to neglect, certainly to undervalue, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-howe/one-great-flaw-in-the-reforming-passion-is-that-in-its-eagerness-to/) [Irving Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-howe/) > [“available to them, generally display a refreshing enthusiasm and eagerness about learning. Learning isn’t a chore, they’ve discovered, it’s a by-product of engaging in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-dobson/available-to-them-generally-display-a-refreshing-enthusiasm-and/) Linda Dobson > [I did not believe him capable of love. That is an emotion in which tenderness is an essential part, but Strickland had no tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-did-not-believe-him-capable-of-love-that-is-an-emotion-in-which/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [God never forces a person's will into surrender, and He never begs. He patiently waits until that person willingly yields to Him. True surrender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/god-never-forces-a-person-s-will-into-surrender-and-he-never-begs-he/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“Soon enough, we are all going to leave this earth for good. The thought of this alone should make us love deeply, and live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/soon-enough-we-are-all-going-to-leave-this-earth-for-good-the-thought/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Baseball is the exponent of American Courage, Confidence, Combativeness, American Dash, Discipline, Determination, American Energy, Eagerness, Enthusiasm, American Pluck, Persistency, Performance, American Spirit, Sagacity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-goodwill-spalding/baseball-is-the-exponent-of-american-courage-confidence-combativeness/) Albert Goodwill Spalding > [The products we design are going to be ridden in, sat upon, looked at, talked into, activated, operated, or in some way used by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-dreyfuss/the-products-we-design-are-going-to-be-ridden-in-sat-upon-looked-at/) [Henry Dreyfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-dreyfuss/) > [Do you love this world? Do you cherish your humble and silky life? Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath? Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/do-you-love-this-world-do-you-cherish-your-humble-and-silky-life-do/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [Eagerness to please attracts bullies and bores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/eagerness-to-please-attracts-bullies-and-bores/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [As for Vietnam, what matters is that Kennedy successfully resisted pressure to send anything more than military advisers, a stance that was a likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/as-for-vietnam-what-matters-is-that-kennedy-successfully-resisted/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) [Browse all 178 Eagerness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eagerness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Two elements of successful leadership: a willingness to be wrong and an eagerness to admit it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Godin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/two-elements-of-successful-leadership-a-willingness-to-be-wrong-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Eagerness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/two-elements-of-successful-leadership-a-willingness-to-be-wrong-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/seth-godin-152_eagerness_two-elements-of-successful-leadership-a_2321276.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/seth-godin-152_eagerness_two-elements-of-successful-leadership-a_2321276.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/seth-godin-152_eagerness_two-elements-of-successful-leadership-a_2321276.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Two elements of successful leadership: a willingness to be wrong and an eagerness to admit it.” — Seth Godin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Seth Godin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Two elements of successful leadership: a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/two-elements-of-successful-leadership-a-willingness-to-be-wrong-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/two-elements-of-successful-leadership-a-willingness-to-be-wrong-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```