It’s OK to Get It Wrong: Lessons in Recruitment and Leadership (2025)
I’m mindful that when I’m writing blogs or recording podcasts where I’m talking about how things should be done, there may well be people reading or listening who have worked with or for me in the past. Some of these people might have had a very different experience to what I’m now sharing, and this will be for various reasons.
Admitting when you’ve got something wrong can be difficult for a lot of us, and it’s even harder when you’re a manager and people expect you to get it right all the time. Depending on your personal character, you may not carry much ‘guilt’ from the times you’ve slipped up. I, for one, don’t fall into that category.
When Getting It Wrong as a Manager Hurts More Than Your Ego!
The impact of getting something wrong can vary dramatically — sometimes it’s minor, but other times it can seriously affect someone’s career, confidence, and well-being. I’ve seen this first-hand.
In this blog, I want to be honest about one area where I’ve made mistakes: the recruitment process. Specifically, the times I’ve hired people under pressure. And unfortunately, it’s happened more than once.
Recruiting Under Pressure: What Really Happens
Your motivation to recruit is influenced by different factors, from external client pressure when you are supplying resource to drive performance through to internal pressure to maximise invoicing potential and achieve deliverables. Even though I’ve always been aware of the risks of hiring under pressure, sometimes I’ve had to take a chance. And sadly, it hasn’t always paid off.
In today’s leadership landscape, where empathy, accountability and vulnerability are increasingly recognised as core strengths, being honest about these decisions matters more than ever.
You Don’t Really Know Until They’re in the Job
When you recruit someone into a role you try to carry out as much ‘due diligence’ during the recruitment process as possible, but the reality is you don’t truly know how someone will perform until they’re in the role.
Some people might say, “Ah well, that’s why you have a probationary period — to see if it works out.” And they’d be right. But let me be very clear, I have never recruited someone with the conscious thought that if it doesn’t work out, I’ll ‘get rid of them’ during their probation period.
If I’d ever had that level of doubt, I wouldn’t have made the offer.
Honesty Has Always Been My Approach
I’ve always been mindful that in most cases people are going to leave a job to join the organisation I’ve been working for, leaving behind any level of security they may have had. That’s a big decision for anyone, and I’ve tried to be as honest as possible in every recruitment process.
One of my go-to lines in interviews has always been:
“I’m not here to sell the job to you, I want you to
know warts and all what it’s like. This way you canmake an informed decision as to if you want the job.”
On most occasions, candidates appreciated the honest approach. But let’s be realistic — if you’ve applied for a job and you want it, you might not fully absorb the ‘warts and all’ picture painted at interview.
Spotting the Signs: When You Know You’ve Got It Wrong
So, anyway, the recruitment has taken place and the individual has started in the job role…
And in my experience — without exception — you can quickly tell when you’ve made the wrong call.
Whether this is based on others' feedback or your own observations, you can immediately spot when someone is struggling to get up to speed. I should also say, most of my recruitment mistakes happened with field-based roles, which adds the complication that you don’t see people face-to-face every day. (And in 2025, with so many hybrid and remote roles, this challenge is even more relevant.)
All that said, even though deep down you know you’ve made a mistake, you try to layer in extra support to get the individual up to speed. I’ve done it myself — perhaps as a way of avoiding admitting I’d got it wrong.
This can obviously turn out to be a fruitless activity and in some ways only delays the inevitable. Giving feedback to try and push them on while protecting them from the inevitable pressures that are bearing down either internally or externally sometimes can’t resolve the situation quickly enough.
When Recruitment Mistakes Lead to Bigger Issues!
There are different outcomes from this recruitment mistake:
• People go off sick because they can no longer cope with the job.
• People find themselves being dismissed due to underperformance.
Either way, you’ve now got a HR and people-management issue on your hands — and that’s a topic for another blog altogether.
What I’ve Learned About Getting It Wrong
If I had to summarise what I’ve learned over the years, it would be this:
• Understand your motivation for hiring someone. Are you making a decision based on pressure rather than the right fit?
• If you have doubts, don’t ignore them. Either hold off making the offer or be transparent with the individual about how these concerns will be monitored during probation.
• Tackle performance concerns early. Make expectations clear, set measurable goals, and give people the tools to succeed.
• Accept that sometimes, despite your best efforts, you’ll get it wrong. You’re only human, after all.
2025 Insight: Why Honest Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Since I first reflected on this, leadership expectations have evolved. In 2025, leaders aren’t expected to be flawless decision-makers — they’re expected to be self-aware, authentic, and accountable.
Admitting when you’ve made a mistake, especially in recruitment, isn’t a weakness. It’s a mark of responsible, emotionally intelligent leadership. It builds psychological safety within your team and shows that you value integrity over saving face.
If you’ve made a hiring mistake, own it, act early, and learn from it. Because getting it wrong is
inevitable at times — it’s what you do afterwards that defines your leadership.
Dave Bownes, Director
Haynes Oliver Limited
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