Rule #6: Own your mistakes but don’t take the fall for others.
It is important to own your mistakes because you have integrity. Most people who make honest mistakes own up to it. You’ll be well respected for that because we all know that no one is perfect. However, when you make a mistake and do not own up to it, it brings your character into question. Be the bigger person; making mistakes is an opportunity to do something right.
Of course, there’s a line between owning your mistakes and taking the fall for others.
If someone else makes a mistake, it would be folly to take the fall for them thinking you are doing them a favor. You are not doing them a favor, all you are doing is setting him up for a larger catastrophe down the road. Let them take the credit for their own mistakes.
Being confident and being humble should go hand in hand. You should be confident in who you are, you should know your limitations, you should know your capabilities, and therefore you should not have to question your objective. You may be the smartest person in the room, however, you don’t have to put that in everyone’s face. As I’ve said before: let others win. Just because you know the answer doesn’t mean you have to always let everyone know you do. It’s important to let others win because it helps them build their confidence. Being humbled is gratitude for being who you are, that’s the most important thing about being humble.