Leaders Get Brain Freeze Too: How to Survive Your Worst Blunders

Do you ever stop getting brain freeze? Gosh a brain freeze hurts! My grandson and I both got one eating ice cream recently. He handled it better than me. Unfortunately, this is not my first brain freeze. In fact, my career is sprinkled with them.

Client meeting with the price tag still on my new blazer...brain freeze.

The brand new navy blue blazer (never even worn) still flying the friendly skies since I left it on the plane right before my presentation at a national conference...brain freeze. (Good opening joke though)

Making a presentation and someone in the front row asked why I had two different shoes on...brain freeze.

Starting a PowerPoint presentation with unplugged computer...brain freeze.

Drove to New Orleans for meeting, client located in Baton Rouge...brain freeze.

As leaders, what's really at stake when an episode of brain freeze strikes? For one, your credibility can disappear with your memory. Your confidence can also take a profound beating. In those humbling moments, it's important that we get back up, acknowledge our mistake, learn from it and keep moving forward. With a little self-confidence and courage, you can recover and survive to lead again. Even the best leaders make mistakes. If you don't, you're not taking enough risks.

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