The Neuropsychology of Good Leaders Making Dumb Mistakes

None of us are immune from the irresistible forces that sway our thinking in irrational ways. Pattern recognition is very helpful in familiar situations. However, it can mislead us in unfamiliar situations and cause us to overlook important details that would lead us to other conclusions. Leaders are prone to make mistakes, but we can take steps to lessen the inevitability of mistakes. Encourage dissent, discuss "red flag" conditions openly, and admit mistakes. The job of a leader is too important to allow irrational neuropsychological patterns of thought to rule.