There’s a well-worn saying that leaders aren’t born, they’re made. It’s worth pointing out that they’re not perfect, either. We put together four common leadership mistakes we all make, plus a way to fix them.
Try as we might, none of us will get everything right. The grind of a long week, short tempers, and unforeseen challenges mean we’re always working to adapt and overcome. Encouraging mantras are a dime a dozen; what really matters is looking in the mirror and making changes that put us in a position to avoid making the same mistakes over and over.
Leaders have to take the time and make the time to evaluate what they’re doing well and what needs work. It’s not easy, and it’s often humbling to find that we may not be living up to our own high expectations. That self-evaluation doesn’t have to be harsh or painful, and the most important element of the practice is that it actually gets you somewhere. We spoke with clients and our team to identify some of the most common leadership mistakes and what we can all do to get back on track.
Take On Too Much Work. Whether it’s not being able to say ‘no’ or not being able to let go, leaders that take on too many tasks and wear too many hats are bound to drop the ball. There’s a difference between working hard and working a lot; most often, feeling the need to do it all means you don’t trust the people around you. That should be your first goal. As a leader and as a manager, your primary responsibility should be to find the people who can do the job themselves. You’ve done your job right if they do it better than you could.
Doing too much? Take a step back and pull out your to-do list. What tasks are focused on producing or organizing something? Hand those to someone else for a week and see what happens.
Letting Your Ego Get The Best of You. Even when there’s a “C” in your title, you’re still human. Too many leaders associate a position of power as a sign of infallibility. You can, and do, make mistakes. To be valuable to your team, acknowledge your shortcomings and failures. Ask for forgiveness, and avoid being defensive when you call shots that fall flat. If you want your team in your corner for the next fight, know when you’ve gotten it wrong and thank them for being there through thick and thin.
Thinking Small, Thinking Short. Tackling crisis after crisis in 2020 may have the side-effect of working and thinking day-to-day. The best leaders keep their eyes up; vision is one of the most important elements of strong leadership, especially when times are tough. Without thinking several moves ahead, teams are provided with the best resources, the most concrete plans and projects, or the information they need to tackle issues as they arise. It’s why we recommend taking even three minutes a week to think about your mission statement and even discuss it with a team member; what are you doing right now as a business to meet that mission? How does your work support your mission statement, and what will that look like in the next month, in the next year, in the next decade? Don’t survive day-to-day, it’s no way to live.
What are some of the toughest lessons you’ve learned as a leader? What wisdom would you pass on to someone stepping into a demanding leadership role? Let us know!