Here’s the hot take: I got corrected without shaming and it will stick with me for life.
Too many years ago, I was a designer at a company that did a ton of print work. Brochures, packaging, maps, etc., with nationwide coverage and big quantities. I was part of an amazing marketing team, and one of my jobs was to lay out the coverage and pricing brochures, check them, check them again, and send them to print. The pricing tables came in from different regions, pulled from marketing managers and sales folks across the company. Then, together with my assigned corporate marketing manager, we’d package it all up, get it printed, and send it to retail locations.
If only I’d caught the mistake before the print run. And spent $100k on the brochures. If. Only.
But I didn’t. One incorrect price in one cell, buried in all those tables. I owned it. I knew it was my fault. And I was honestly pretty scared. What happens when you screw up and cost the company that much – especially when this was my first real design job?
But my manager (still one of the best I’ve ever had) handled it like a masterclass in leadership. He called me into the conference room and laid it out straight. Said he’d already called the printer, and they had agreed to eat part of the cost. Then he asked me what happened. I told him the truth. And his response? No yelling. No blame. Just: “This is a big deal. Don’t let it happen again.”
That was it. And here I am telling you this story because I still remember how he made me feel. Human. Trusted. Part of the team. He held me accountable, moved on, and never brought it up again.
Details always matter. And they matter even more under pressure. But leading with empathy while still holding the line?
That’s what sticks.
👋 I’m Clint. I help your right-hand person step into confident decision-making, freeing up space for you to focus on your agency.