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Success Advice

I Want To Be Wrong As Much As Possible - You Should Too! Here’s Why:

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The journey we’re all are on is similar. We have to deal with rejection, failure, unpleasant underarm smells, success, people we don’t like, death, kids (may not be our own) and our emotions that can make us happy and pissed off all at the same time.

It’s a tough gig being human, but that’s the card we were dealt. Part of the job description that we have as humans is being wrong. Understanding what it really means to be wrong is what this article is all about.

I want to give you the real story about being wrong and inspire you with the reality: It’s great when you’re wrong.

This is going to sound even crazier but here goes nothing:

“I want to be wrong as much as possible”

Why?

Being wrong is how I’ve learned everything I know. The process of doing involves being wrong a hell of a lot. I know that when I’m wrong, I’m putting in the work.

I’m like a mad scientist experimenting with different potions to find the winning one which is fulfillment of a purpose bigger than myself.

I’m not the only person that’s wrong. You’re wrong a lot too.

“Trying to be right is how you end up in a rut wondering why you’re not heading in the direction you want to”

I aim to be wrong at least once a day.

I have breakfast being wrong.

Then I go out for lunch and I’m wrong.

I then come home from work even more wrong. I smile the whole time because I’ve stopped hiding from the truth.

You’ll end up wrong more times than you’re right.

The truth is you’re going to be wrong in life more times than you’re right, so you better get used it.

Practice being wrong.

Expect you’ll be wrong.

Be excited when you’re wrong.

“On the other side of being wrong is being right and that will lead you to something much bigger and better than you could have ever hoped for”

The challenge we all face is trying to be right.

That idea leads to perfection and you’ll never reach that goal no matter how hard you try. Perfection is where you forget you’re human. By our very nature as a species, we’re flawed, wrong, fucked up, emotional and destined to die.

I’m not trying to be Debbie Downer I just want you to get used to being wrong and understand it’s in your DNA. When you plan to be wrong and expect it, you think about failure and set up your strategy for life differently.

The revelation: stacking the odds.

If you look at the statistical view of being wrong, and you see that the odds are stacked against you, a revelation will occur:

“All you need to do is be right a fraction of the time to win the game of life”

Winning becomes about only needing to be right (successful) every so often. The road to achieving your goals looks a lot different when you expect to be wrong.

Admit when you’re wrong.

Admitting to yourself you’re wrong is one level of the game; admitting to everyone else when you’re wrong is much harder.

I’ve found that by telling people I’m wrong when I am, I get the following benefits:

  • People respect me more
  • I have less shame about being wrong
  • I don’t try and hide when I’m wrong anymore
  • I celebrate when I’m wrong
  • I accept the gift of being wrong and accept the learnings

The weakest thing you can do is try to pretend you’re right when you know you’re not. Join ‘The Wrong Club’ that we were all born into and start wearing it with a sense of pride.

Where to from here?

Wear a t-shirt that says you’re going to be wrong today. Have the “wrong talk” with your romantic partner when your fortune telling skills are proven to be non-existent.

Hi-five your brother or sister from another mother when you’re wrong.

Add up your wrongs on a scorecard and see that each wrong carries a diamond in the form of learnings and knowledge.

Tell people when you’re wrong. It’s good for business and for life.

If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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leadership tips for new CEO
Image Credit: Midjourney

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
Image Credit: Midjourney

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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entrepreneurial leadership skills and traits
Image Credit: Midjourney

When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

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