This past May, I had one of those experiences that sticks with you — not because it was perfect, but because someone had the courage to own a mistake. Check out my video where I talk about this rather funny moment.
My brother invited me to officiate his wedding and, as a generous gesture, offered to buy custom suits for me and my other brothers. He had picked out the material, set everything up at Joseph A. Bank, and all I had to do was get measured.
The timeline was a little tight, but still manageable. The suit jacket came back perfect. Then I tried on the pants… and, well, let’s just say my rear end did not agree with them. 😄
The Awkward Moment
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that a pandemic and a few too many home-cooked meals can make any of us a little less flexible in the waistline. But this felt different — the pants weren’t just snug or skinny; they were impossibly too tight.
I pointed it out to the associate who measured me. Her manager, Neil, came over, rechecked the numbers, made some adjustments, and started fixing things in the system.
Then something happened that completely changed how I saw the moment.
The associate looked me in the eye and said,
“I want you to know — this was my mistake. I accidentally entered your measurement wrong in the computer. I typed minus one instead of plus one in the seat.”
She didn’t have to tell me that. She could have easily blamed the fabric, the fit, or my rear end for that matter! 😁 But she didn’t. She owned it — fully, immediately, and without excuses!
The Power of Owning It
They could’ve sent me home with an apology and a “we’ll fix it later.”
Instead, they went above and beyond: they handed me the pants, said, “Wear these for now, just in case the remake doesn’t arrive in time,” and assured me that a new pair would be crafted from scratch — fast.
That small act of accountability completely transformed my experience as a customer.
I’ve seen this play out not only in business but in every area of life — with team members, family, clients, and friends.
Every time someone steps up and says, “I made a mistake, and I’m going to make it right,” trust deepens. Transparency always builds trust.
But here’s the key: that kind of honesty doesn’t happen by accident.
Creating a Culture Where It’s Safe to Be Honest
The reason that associate felt comfortable owning her mistake was because of her manager, Neil.
He had built a microculture — a small but powerful environment where people knew it was not just safe, but expected, to own their mistakes.
When I asked her about it later, she said,
“Neil’s built a team here where we want to do two things: own our mistakes and own our celebrations — and create an amazing experience for our customers.”
That didn’t happen by luck. It was intentional.
Neil had been modeling that behavior himself — being open about his own errors and showing that accountability doesn’t equal punishment. It equals progress.
Your Microculture Matters
Whether you lead a big organization, a small team, or a family, you have the power to set the tone.
Ask yourself:
- Do people around you feel safe saying, “I messed up”?
- Do they know that owning it won’t be met with shame or blame — but with support to make it right?
- Are you modeling that same transparency yourself?
Because when people feel safe to speak up, the results go far beyond one fixed mistake. You build stronger relationships, deeper trust, and a team that’s loyal and fully committed — not because they have to be, but because they want to be.
Your Turn
Take a look at your world — your office, your household, your circle.
Are you creating a space where people feel safe enough to be honest and are fully committed?
If not, what small shift could you make this week to change that?
Remember, transparency builds trust. And trust is the foundation of every great relationship — at work, at home, and everywhere in between.
