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FOREWORD

Rookies are prone to mistakes, and we expect that. Veterans are prone to mistakes, and we are surprised by that. What Mike McHargue has done in That's on Me: Seasoned Executives Confess Their Rookie Mistakes is provide a primer and a reminder all in one. What's particularly effective about what he's done here is that he gives leaders colorful and practical advice, and then reinforces that advice through the experiences of leaders who are humble enough to tell their stories.

A new leader needs wisdom, but in this age of ubiquitous information, it has become a great challenge to sift through everything that is out there and come up with something that is both relevant and digestible. McHargue has done just that. He has curated the insights he has gained in his consulting with a fascinating mix of leaders from a wide variety of fields—people who have made mistakes, learned from them, and want to help others avoid some of their missteps.

Beyond the wisdom of the concepts and stories, McHargue is a masterful communicator, combining practical insights with humor. That's on Me is not only a readable and useful book, but it should also be a resource for leaders who want access to just-in-time advice when they are staring squarely at a situation that has the potential for success or failure. So, read the advice here, and keep it handy. Even if you're a rookie, one day soon you'll be seen as a veteran, and you'll recognize that no one is immune from the occasional mistakes that are part of having the courage to be a leader.

Founder and CEO, The Table Group

Best-Selling Business Author

AUTHOR' S NOTE

"What's the biggest mistake you have ever made as a leader?" and "How did it affect the people in your organization?" are questions I started asking teams soon after starting my business working with executive leaders. The stories were rich, and the leaders were open and vulnerable in sharing them. It gave me an idea for a book—this book.

At the time, I had been married for 20 years to my amazing wife, who is also an amazing book editor. And for most of those years, I really wanted to write a book. I had everything one needs to write a book at my disposal, except one thing: an author smart or expert enough about any topic to offer something meaningful to the world. Well, it turns out I am an expert in one thing after all: making mistakes. I feel like I have made them 'all' during my career leading people and teams. So that's the focus of this work, organized into five sections.

But why five?

I have heard it said that three is a magic number. There is small, medium, and large. Gold, silver, and bronze. Red, yellow, and green. But I would argue that a better, more complete number is five.

Five is the number of aspiration. It's a five-star hotel, restaurant, or theater production. It is the highest ranking on a team assessment. It is the exact right amount—a handful. (And, really, who doesn't love a high-five?) According to team management expert Patrick Lencioni, it's the number of dysfunctions that can keep a team from reaching its potential, but it is also a great size for a team: large enough for diversity, but small enough to be agile and execute with speed.

 

And as we try to recall things to our mind, five things come easily.

Written with all of this in mind, That's on Me: Seasoned Executives Confess Their Rookie Mistakes fully embraces this aspirational number: five chapters (mistakes) with five stories each (and now with two additional stories for good measure). Easy to remember. Easy to apply.

It is my hope that these five chapters offer something you can use as you strive to become the best leader you can be.

INTRODUCTION

Throughout my career, both in technology organizations and now as a principal consultant focused on the organizational health movement, I have seen experienced executives and rookie leaders alike make the same leadership mistakes over and over. In fact, I made many of those same mistakes both as a junior leader and sometimes now as a veteran leader. But I can say with conviction that many of my errors could have been avoided, had a seasoned executive or two (or in this case, 35) offered a little advice or shared a relevant experience as I chartered those new leadership waters.