Grace in the Workplace
One of the most important leadership lessons I’ve learned came from a mistake I wish I hadn’t made.
Early in my career, I woke up in the middle of the night and checked my email. A client had responded to a request I had been anxiously waiting on. We needed a target list to successfully execute an event, and his response indicated he wasn’t going to provide it.
I was frustrated. Actually, I was angry.
At around 3:00 a.m., I fired off an email that reflected exactly how I felt in that moment. Then I went back to sleep.
The next morning, I was greeted by a phone call from our CEO. The client had forwarded my email to her and was understandably upset by both my tone and my lack of professionalism.
I was mortified.
Immediately, I recognized my mistake. The email should never have been sent, especially not in the middle of the night and certainly not in the manner I had chosen.
What happened next became one of the most important lessons in my career.
My CEO held me accountable, but she also extended grace. Rather than allowing the mistake to define me, she treated it as a learning opportunity. She shared a piece of advice that I have carried with me ever since: virtually no emails require a response in the middle of the night (at least in our line of work), and if you’re angry, it’s always better to wait.
At the time, I thought the lesson was about email guardrails. Looking back, I realize it was about something deeper: perspective.
I was so focused on my own priorities that I assumed they should be his priorities too. The target list felt urgent to me because it was essential to the success of the event I was delivering. The sales executive I was working with, however, had a different set of priorities. He was focused on serving customers, closing business, and managing the many demands already competing for his attention.
What felt critical to me simply wasn’t critical to him.
That realization changed the way I think about communication and conflict. It reminded me that everyone is operating under their own pressures and priorities, and misunderstanding that can quickly lead to frustration and poor judgment. Recognizing that doesn’t eliminate accountability, but it does create space for empathy, patience, and better conversations.
But the greatest gift from that experience wasn’t the lesson itself. It was the grace.
Instead of allowing a single mistake to define me, my CEO treated it as something I could grow from. That experience has stayed with me far more than the mistake itself.
Years later, I find myself sharing this story with members of my team whenever they make a mistake or feel they’ve failed. Not because I’m proud of the moment, but because I want them to know that one mistake does not define a career. Most of us can point to moments we wish we could take back―an email sent too quickly, a decision made too hastily, or a conversation handled poorly. What matters most is not the mistake itself, but what we choose to learn from it afterward.
Some of the most important leadership lessons don’t come from success. They come from missteps, and from the leaders who help us learn instead of letting those moments define us.
That experience continues to shape how I lead today. Not just in how I respond to mistakes, but in how I try to create space for others to learn from theirs. In those moments, I have found there is power in vulnerability. Sharing my own failure creates space for honest conversations and reminds my team they are not alone. It allows me to connect, not as someone who always gets it right, but as someone who has learned through getting it wrong.
The greatest gift of grace is not just receiving it; it’s learning to pass it on.
About the Author
Kate Bryja: Vice President, Marketing and Sales Operations, Signature Leaders
Kate is a dynamic leader passionate about fostering meaningful connections and empowering others. She thrives on building smart, efficient processes and cultivating an environment where people feel supported, inspired, and equipped to succeed. Through her work at Signature Leaders, Kate drives strategic initiatives that elevate the brand, strengthen partnerships, and advance leadership development.
As Vice President of Marketing and Sales Operations, Kate fuels business growth by leading brand development, optimizing processes, and equipping the sales team for success. She played a pivotal role in launching the Signature Alumni Network, now a global community of 4,000+ leaders, and has led teams through streamlining operations, enhancing the Signature experience, and cultivating key partnerships. As a member of Signature’s Executive Leadership Team, she helps drive community engagement and ensures an exceptional experience for participants, alumni, and buyers.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Georgia College & State University and remains actively involved as a Young Alumni Council member. Committed to investing in others, Kate volunteers with UpStreet (Kindergarten Kids) at church and serves on the Advisory Board for the Zeta Iota Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi.
Kate lives in Atlanta, GA, with her husband, Jim, and their dog, Bonnie.
