The quickest way to lose any group you are working with is to not engage in real communication. Real in that way that you are communicating from a place of honesty and directness. If you want to lead then you need those people that you are working with to want to follow. It’s difficult to follow bs excuses, silence, or aggrandization.
Yes, when you are in leadership, you are going to have to make some tough choices. The people that you work with and -hopefully- care about are going to be hurt by them. That comes with the territory. Not every choice you make is going to be popular and not every situation is going to be easy to navigate. That’s no reason to run away from clear, concise, and honest communication.
Real communication means keeping it about the problem, not about yourself. Focus on solutions, not your resume. You don’t need to keep proving why you are in the position; you need to show with your actions and with your care. For example, don’t whine and tell your staff that this was hard for you, show them. Don’t keep bringing up your qualifications when you are questioned. Rember, no one cares how you got there, they care about what you do while you are in that position.
Just as bad as not being able to admit your mistakes is not being able to communicate honestly and effectively. If there are problems, be direct. Conflict in the workplace? Address it. Trouble in the business model? Tell people about it and collaborate on solutions. Made a mistake? Own it, apologize, and plan to improve.
If you’re doing it well, it’s not glamorous, it’s real and you will be respected for it.