Good advice. One of the best bosses I had, always would admit when he made a mistake which gave us as subordinates the freedom to try new things. I would try to model his behavior.
I would add one caveat regarding the press. If the press makes a mistake (or lies), they should publicize it in the same place they made the mistake. Case in point. When I graduated from West Point in 1976, the New York Times ran a front-page story the next day with a picture of our class's Cadet Honor Chairman receiving his diploma. The caption under the picture read something like, "Cadet Anderson, chairman of the Honor Committee receiving his diploma. He was also charged with an honor violation." A bald-faced lie. (For context, the class of '77, right behind us had been embroiled in a large cheating scandal.)
A couple of days later the Times printed a retraction, buried in a page way in the back of the paper (there was no internet back in the stone ages). They should have printed a front-page retraction with his picture.
I give Moore no credit because I suspect there was more behind it than admitting to a factual error. Some people who know him personally have confided to me that this is their take.
Aaron, continue to appreciate commitment to truth, rarer today in public discourse than it has ever been in my life.
A corollary that should go without saying but unfortunately needs to be said: if the mistake is the result of a subordinate's work but carries your name on it: too bad, it's your mistake, own it.
At one place in my career a certain analyst was notorious for blaming underlings for errors in her work. Let's just say that this habit never earned her any respect among peers, superiors, or subordinates. In the end she was forced out and transitioned to a less prestigious and lower-paying career.
Good advice. One of the best bosses I had, always would admit when he made a mistake which gave us as subordinates the freedom to try new things. I would try to model his behavior.
I would add one caveat regarding the press. If the press makes a mistake (or lies), they should publicize it in the same place they made the mistake. Case in point. When I graduated from West Point in 1976, the New York Times ran a front-page story the next day with a picture of our class's Cadet Honor Chairman receiving his diploma. The caption under the picture read something like, "Cadet Anderson, chairman of the Honor Committee receiving his diploma. He was also charged with an honor violation." A bald-faced lie. (For context, the class of '77, right behind us had been embroiled in a large cheating scandal.)
A couple of days later the Times printed a retraction, buried in a page way in the back of the paper (there was no internet back in the stone ages). They should have printed a front-page retraction with his picture.
When I've seen a section acknowledging mistakes it's usually at the back of the paper
These days, with the shift to digital, the online version of the article is typically corrected, and an correction notice appended to the bottom.
I give Moore no credit because I suspect there was more behind it than admitting to a factual error. Some people who know him personally have confided to me that this is their take.
Interesting
Aaron, continue to appreciate commitment to truth, rarer today in public discourse than it has ever been in my life.
A corollary that should go without saying but unfortunately needs to be said: if the mistake is the result of a subordinate's work but carries your name on it: too bad, it's your mistake, own it.
At one place in my career a certain analyst was notorious for blaming underlings for errors in her work. Let's just say that this habit never earned her any respect among peers, superiors, or subordinates. In the end she was forced out and transitioned to a less prestigious and lower-paying career.
"To err is human, to confess, Christian."
Not quite pleasing,but maybe somebody can improve the aphorism.