I recently discovered a post on Mark Suster’s blog “Both Sides of the Table” in which he repeats the phrase “it’s better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission”. Suster supports this claim by telling an anecdote from his own life.
I completely agree with the entirety of this post. What Suster is describing by using this phrase is a leader. A person who knows what they want or what needs to be done and goes about doing it themselves without asking permission. In other words: a go-getter. These situations may not always end well. However, Suster believes it is better to act on instinct and ask for forgiveness after if all doesn’t go as planned. In the eyes of authority, a worker who “takes matters into their own hands” shows qualities of leadership, perseverance and preparedness to go above and beyond.
I have personal experience with this phrase. I am an air cadet and was told by one of my officers fairly recently to “just do it and say sorry after”. Trying to remember these words and act on my instincts has helped me display confidence as a leader and a senior cadet in my squadron. The result of this improvement ? A promotion that comes with more responsibilities and involvement with my cadets.
So… The message both Suster and I want to convey is to have confidence in your instincts and act on them. This will change you in the eyes of those around you and will have a positive impact on your confidence and abilities as a leader.