Acknowledging the Aftermath: Leadership, Mistakes, and Growth

What happens when leadership goes wrong? What do you do when past failures haunt you, and the weight of responsibility feels unbearable?In this episode, I take you back to a moment that stuck with me—a leadership failure that nearly derailed a mission during my second tour in Iraq. I made a mistake that could have cost lives, and for years, I carried that failure like dead weight. But more importantly, I break down what I learned from it, how I rebuilt myself as a leader, and the hard truths that transformed my approach to leadership and growth.If you’ve ever questioned your abilities as a leader, struggled with past mistakes, or wondered how to grow from failure—this episode is for you.What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✅ The Mission Failure That Changed Everything – A mistake that haunted me and what it revealed about leadership gaps.✅ The Cost of Silence in Leadership – Why my team didn’t speak up and how that reflected on me as their leader.✅ The Harsh Reality of Poor Mentorship – What happens when leadership development is left to trial and error instead of guidance.✅ The Growth Process – How I ran my own personal AAR (After Action Review), sought brutal honesty, and started making real changes.✅ The Moment I Knew I Had Changed – Years later, a single moment at Annual Training confirmed the growth I had worked so hard for.✅ How YOU Can Apply These Lessons – Three actionable steps to start owning your mistakes, growing as a leader, and rebuilding trust.This episode isn’t just about mistakes—it’s about what comes after. Growth doesn’t happen overnight, and leadership isn’t about getting it right every time. It’s about learning, adjusting, and stepping up—even when it’s uncomfortable.So, what’s the moment you’re waiting for? What’s stopping you from becoming the leader you want to be?Listener Connection: Have you had a moment where leadership mistakes changed you? Email me at lifesabtchhgetahelmet@gmail.com or send a message through www.lifesabtchhgetahelmet.com. I’d love to hear your story.Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.#Leadership #Growth #Accountability #LessonsLearned #LifesABitchGetAHelmet