Most leaders want to look polished, decisive, and right. But reinvention rarely looks that way. It is awkward and iterative. It unfolds in front of others before it feels fully safe. The leaders who thrive are those who learn in public, not those who hide their process behind closed doors.
When Mistakes Build Trust
Years ago, I launched a project that was meant to streamline contract review. The idea was sound. The execution was not. We rolled out too early, underestimated change fatigue, and within weeks, usage flatlined. Instead of retreating, I shared the data, the feedback, and what we would do next. That transparency turned out to be the turning point. Teams who were skeptical became collaborators. What started as a failed rollout became a shared experiment.
The lesson is simple but uncomfortable. Reinvention is not private work. It happens where others can see you try, stumble, and recalibrate. Every visible iteration expands credibility, not erodes it.
The Iteration Ladder
The process follows a simple ladder: Transparency → Feedback → Adjustment → Renewal. First, be transparent about what you are testing and why. Then invite feedback from those affected, not just your inner circle. Next, make visible adjustments that show you listened. Finally, renew by communicating what changed and how the learning will guide future choices.
This ladder is how reinvention becomes culture. It teaches your team that leadership is not about being right first but about getting better faster. The same principle applies to organizations experimenting with AI tools, rethinking their service models, or updating compliance processes. Each iteration signals maturity.
How GCs Can Model Visible Learning
For General Counsels, the instinct to protect and control can make visible iteration feel risky. Yet every pilot, every new workflow, and every policy update is an opportunity to lead publicly. Instead of waiting for perfection, communicate the journey. Share why you are testing a new clause library or revising your outside counsel model. Frame experiments as strategic learning, not uncertainty.
When you narrate your learning, you turn vulnerability into authority. People trust what they can see evolve. Stakeholders stop expecting flawless answers and start valuing your process. The credibility that comes from that honesty is more durable than any polished presentation.
The Leadership Skill: Visible Learning
Visible learning is the new credibility. It turns humility into a leadership asset. Those who iterate in public create psychological safety for their teams, accelerate feedback loops, and set a tone of continuous relevance.
The courage to iterate in public is not about exposure. It is about trust. When you make learning visible, you give others permission to do the same. That is how reinvention stops being a personal act and becomes an organizational habit.
