By Rod Patterson, MBA
Embracing the Leadership Mulligan: A Second Swing at Success
A friend told me a “Mulligan” in golf is not a real thing — lol — nonetheless I use them often whenever I play a round.
For those who don’t play, here’s the scoop: a mulligan is a do-over — a free pass to take another shot without it counting against you. Unofficial, unwritten, but understood between players who want the round to stay fun instead of punishing.
I’ve come to believe leadership needs the same unwritten rule.
Every leader has watched a talented team member misread a client, botch a presentation, or make a call that missed the mark. The reflexive move is to log it, mention it in the review, let it follow them. But maybe the better move — the one that actually builds a stronger team — is to hand them a mulligan. Not a free pass on accountability, but a vote of confidence: I know what you’re capable of. Learn from this one, and take another swing.
That’s the heart of a leadership mulligan. It’s not about lowering the bar. It’s about recognizing that growth requires room to miss. People terrified of one mistake defining them stop taking the shots that lead to real innovation. They play it safe. They stop reaching for the green and start laying up.
A mulligan says: I trust you enough to let this one go. Now show me what you’ve learned.
So next time someone on your team comes up short, ask yourself if this is a moment for consequence — or a moment for a mulligan. Perhaps a second chance is exactly what turns a near-miss into a hole-in-one.
Guard your gates.
Guard Your Gates 