Leaders are people too right? They are just as fallible as anyone else. Why is it that when leaders make mistakes people are so often unforgiving? This advice isn’t about those mistakes it is about the mistakes that leaders need to correct and quickly.
My top 10 list of worst mistakes made in leadership:
1) Indecisiveness
A leader needs to take quick decisive action and quickly correct the course if something isn’t working.
2) Non-Committal
A leader who cannot commit to a plan is of no use.
3) Prideful Ego
Pride and ego are two things that can hurt a leader the most. Pride and ego prevent them from admitting something isn’t working or thinking they are the only ones with the answer.
4) Surrounds themselves with an echo chamber
An echo chamber is when you surround yourself with people who agree to your every whim. There is no diversity or free flow of ideas in an echo chamber.
5) Keeping the wrong people around
Maybe you like them. Maybe they make you feel good. Perhaps they helped you start your company. If they aren’t delivering and raising the bar or lifting up others in the organization it’s time to prune them.
6) Running from conflict
Conflict keeps you from progressing. Conflict can give birth to new ways of doing things. Running from conflict is like dragging your heels in the ground. It is slow and painful for everyone.
7) Zero Follow-up
Follow-up is how things get done. Without it you aren’t holding your people accountable or making sure they are progressing in a way that helps them meet their professional goals.
8) Gossiping
The fastest way to lose trust with someone is to gossip with them.
9) Blindly trusting
It is great to trust people but you have to validate the trust you are giving them. When you blindly trust others you could find yourself on the wrong side of the fence.
10) Opposite actions from what is expected
You get what you give. If you are late, they will be late. If you gossip, they will gossip. If you play games all day, they will play games all day. You are the leader, model the way.
Can you come up with other mistakes leaders make? This isn’t a definitive list but I feel these are among the top things leaders need to stop doing for the good of themselves and their followers.
Last updated on March 8th, 2018 at 07:48 pm
