574 :: Stop Defending Bad Decisions: What New Coke Teaches Leaders About Correcting Course

What do you do when the data supports your decision, but reality proves you wrong?

In 1985, Coca-Cola replaced its legendary formula with New Coke after extensive research suggested consumers preferred a sweeter taste. The backlash was immediate. Just 79 days later, Coca-Cola reversed course and brought back the original formula.

The way Coca-Cola’s leaders responded to that mistake provides a valuable leadership lesson.

For construction leaders constantly evaluating new technology, processes, meeting structures, partners, and ways of working, the New Coke story offers a powerful framework for trying new things without allowing a mistake to become an even bigger one.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

· How to use five practical questions to determine whether an important business decision can be reversed before committing to it.

· Why customer and employee resistance to change may be driven by loss aversion and how understanding what people believe they’re losing can prevent unnecessary turmoil.

· How strong leaders respond when a decision goes wrong by accepting responsibility, listening, reversing course when necessary, and fixing the problem instead of defending sunk costs.

Play this episode to learn how to experiment intelligently, build reversibility into important decisions, and respond like a leader when reality proves you wrong.

At Bradley Hartmann & Company, we help construction teams improve sales, leadership, and communication by reducing miscommunication, strengthening teamwork, and bridging language gaps between English and Spanish speakers. To learn more about our product offerings, visit bradleyhartmannandco.com.

The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You’ll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems—whether you’re leading a crew or managing an entire organization.

Have topic ideas or guest recommendations? Contact us at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

New podcasts are dropped every Tuesday and Thursday.

This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.