How to not get defensive when things go wrong

As a founder, no matter how much you try not to over-promise or disappoint others, at some point you’re going to have to tell them you failed.

Own it.

Own it means owning everything that happens, wanted and unwanted. Very few founders understand how to do this, which is why I want to focus on it today.

So, when you have to communicate something went “wrong,” what should be your focus?

First, and most important, is clarity.

Too many founders believe they need to “soften the blow.” So they dance around the facts, being vague and ambiguous.

That’s a recipe for losing trust.

Leadership communication isn’t about hiding or trying to look good. It’s about sharing the information that’s most relevant to your audience.

Words that paint a clear path forward, that inspire trust and confidence.

Not confidence that everything is going perfectly, but confidence that you’ll be able to figure things out.

As your audience — your team, investors, board — listens to you, thoughts like these should come into their mind:

“Sounds like they’re on top of this.”