A Leadership Lesson in Grace and Growth

After delivering the Email Essentials training for UCDD/UCHRA, I came home physically tired; but mentally energized. You know that feeling when your body wants rest, but your mind still wants to squeeze in one more thing?

I thought I could be efficient and knock out a quick task while making dinner: schedule the post-training survey email.

Fast forward to the next morning. I’m wrapping up my first cup of coffee when my phone dings.

The survey is closed.

My heart drops. I immediately realize I never updated the link in my template to the new survey for yesterday’s trainings. Okay, annoying, but fixable.

As I go to correct it, I notice something worse. I didn’t even finish creating the survey. I had copied the template, changed the date, but never completed the process.

So I finish the survey and resend the email to all 50+ training attendees.

Ding.

Another email.

Yesterday’s trainings aren’t listed on the survey.

Now my mind is racing. How is that possible? I used my template, except I didn’t use the most recent template. And of course, the missing trainings are the ones from yesterday.

At this point, I pause. Do I rebuild the survey from scratch? That could take nearly an hour. Meanwhile, how many people are clicking the link and seeing the wrong survey?

I decide to make a copy of the correct template, delete the incomplete one, and resend the email.

Third time.

Ding. Ding.

Emails start coming in.

And then I realize it.

I forgot to put the link in the email.

I am officially upset and frustrated with myself. How did I mess up such a simple task three times in a row?

So I send one more email to all the attendees, this time with the link, and add this message:

“This is so embarrassing. I do not know why this is happening today, but here is the link.
Now I’m going to go hide from complete embarrassment and finish that pot of coffee before I do anything else.”

I did step away from the computer, but instead of more coffee, I stepped onto my yoga mat. I took 20 minutes to calm my body and refocus my mind, instead of amping up my nervous system with more caffeine.

When I returned to my inbox, I found an email from an attendee that simply said:

“Thanks for being human.”

Those four words gave me permission to stop beating myself up.

And that’s what I want to encourage you with today.

Thank you for being human.

We will all make mistakes. Sometimes they aren’t very public, like missing your highway exit. Other times, they feel much bigger, like a bad decision or investment that takes time to recover from. And sometimes, yes, it looks like sending four emails to over 50 people just to get it right.

Mistakes are part of being human.

There was only one perfect man. The rest of us are doing the best we can with the life we’ve been given.

So don’t beat yourself up when you make a mistake. Learn from it. Move forward. And one day, look back and smile at how much you’ve grown, or even laugh at how small it really was in the grand scheme of things.

Leadership isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about learning, growing, and doing better next time.

And the great part? I now have another personal story to share in my next email training, about the importance of slowing down, pausing, and rechecking what you’re about to send.

What would change if you gave yourself the same grace today that you so easily extend to others?

If reflections like this resonate with you, I share a short weekly note called Better Than Yesterday—a gentle pause to reflect on leadership, growth, and becoming just a little better than the day before.

You’re welcome to join me.