Leadership Essentials: Imperfection
I recently watched Conclave, a stunningly beautiful film with incredible acting, breathtaking cinematography, and a story that stayed with me long after the credits rolled. Don’t worry—no spoilers here. But I will say this: if you appreciate good, traditional storytelling, masterful filmmaking, and compelling performances, it’s worth your time.
One line in the film jumped out at me as I was watching. It struck me as an insightful way to think about modern leadership, whether in the Church or in business:
“Let us pray that the Lord will grant us a Pope who doubts, and by his doubts continues to make the Catholic faith a living thing that may inspire the whole world. Let Him grant us a Pope who sins, and asks forgiveness, and carries on.”
This idea feels especially relevant today. The best leaders aren’t the ones who insist on perfection or certainty. They’re the ones who have the humility to doubt, the honesty to admit mistakes, and the courage to carry on.
I’ve worked for leaders on both ends of this spectrum.
One stormed into a marketing all-hands meeting to dictate how a team of experts should manage paid search. He had no experience with paid search, and we all knew it. Worse, it was done to undermine the authority of the CMO leading the meeting. We had no choice but to follow his orders because he had people checking up on our strategy. It was one of the grossest displays of poor leadership I’ve ever seen.
On the other hand, I worked for a startup CEO who I once found on his hands and knees cleaning up a major coffee spill. When I offered to take care of it, he replied, “What you’re doing is more important than what’s on my desk. I have the time, I will take care of it.” Later, he explained his philosophy: no one is above any job in the organization. Success, he believed, depended on everyone feeling empowered to both lead and follow—including himself.
Too often, leadership is confused with authority, control, and unshakable confidence. But those traits don’t build trust or inspire action—they isolate. True leadership thrives on humanity: the willingness to doubt, to reflect, and to adapt. Doubt isn’t a weakness; it’s a catalyst for growth. Mistakes aren’t failures; they’re the foundation for resilience.
Leadership isn’t about projecting invulnerability. It’s about building something that lasts because it evolves—alive, growing, and grounded in humility. That’s the kind of leadership I believe in, and the kind we need now more than ever.