Some leaders believe they must be held in the highest regard relative to their abilities.  Humility is considered to be a weakness.  Strong and decisive are their bywords.

For these individuals, acknowledging they might not have been right is not acceptable.   They believe this could reduce their effectiveness relative to commanding others.

Strength from Conviction

An apology is not a behaviour these strong dictatorial leaders will ever entertain.   They believe others will not follow them unless they are perceived to be infallible.

Sadly, we are all human and to quote Alexander Pope “To err is human …..”.  While the strong and forceful superman approach can work experience shows it is rarely sustainable.

On the whole, others appreciate perceived sincerity over false bravado and while a clear direction can often achieve results quicker they will not be of sustainable quality and usually fall apart when the leader departs.

Strength from Empathy

While it is typically harder to collaborate as opposed to direct this approach enables people to feel empathy toward the leader and their needs.

It is, after all, easier to bond with those we can identify.  Fear can drive behaviour but it is not the optimal way to achieve the best results.

Demonstrating normal human characteristics, of which one is not being perfect, that is making mistakes is more admired than not.  By acting to correct mistakes you have acknowledged, you set a great example for others.

This approach is both appreciated and copied.  As a result the results are both of a higher quality but also will last.