Recently I’ve had headaches watching a leader in my organization destroy his chances at huge success time and time again. Though a great guy, this leader never seems to get over the hump because of some of his detrimental leadership beliefs that continually drive his most talented and loyal workers away. As 21st century leaders in the knowledge worker age, we must step up our game and be better at retaining our most valuable assets. In order to do this, we must eliminate old habits and misguided beliefs and replace them with higher more creative leadership styles that propel us and our teams to success. Below is a list of beliefs that I still see leaders holding on to today which continually hinder their success.
#1 “My team’s job is to make me look good”
There may be some truth to this thought but any leader who acts accordingly or openly expresses this will hurt the motivation of his/her team. People generally want to make people look good who make them look good. Thus as a leader, our number one priority should be making those who follow us look good and then the rest will follow.
#2 “They’ll get over it”
Being a leader does not mean you have to be perfect. However, what you say and what you do is watched and analyzed very closely by those you are leading. Though small careless comments, sporadic mood swings, occasional less than stellar reaction, or an every once in awhile inconsistent action may seem inconsequential to you, it probably means the world to those who you lead and often leaves lasting impressions on them. Believing that people will “get over” your poor performance or insensitive comment is a fallacy. Instead of brushing off such incidents, take the time to apologize. An apology is a powerful tool in the leadership tool belt that should be used often. Sharing a simple and sincere apology, as opposed to having an attitude of “they’ll get over it,” will go a long way in gaining the trust and lasting commitment of those you lead.
#3 “I can do it better”
Usually leaders are leaders because they have personalities and skills that have enabled them to have success. Because of this, it is easy for leaders to take on the responsibilities of those they lead because they think they can do it better. Though often the intention is good, the action is bad because it demonstrates a lack of trust and confidence in your team members. This belief also has the tendency to tie you down and make you more stressed and less effective. This belief also robs your team from valuable learning experiences as well as the fulfillment that comes from overcoming challenges. Thus, don’t take responsibilities away from members that you lead but instead progressively give them more.
#4 “That is the way I learned”
Many leaders fail to inspire or even help their team members along the way because they rationalize that that is the way they learned. Well, just because you as a leader did not have exemplary leaders to help develop and guide you, it does not give you permission to do the same. An effective leader does all he or she can to help their team learn and grow.
#5 “Communication is not that important”
The most important element of any relationship is communication. Without constant communication and feedback from their leader, team members quickly become anxious and feel unimportant. It is imperative that leaders develop a constant and extremely honest and open communication philosophy with those they lead. Without it, team members will never perform their best and will never fully enjoy what they are doing because too little communication leads to a lack of recognition, clarity, support, understanding, trust, importance, respect, and the list could go on and on. A leader can never over communicate!!
#6 “People are easy to replace”
Having to constantly replace people is a waste of money and a waste of time. Though people will be always looking for work, good people are hard to find, yet leaders continue to undervalue their team members and thus continue to fail. As a leader, you need to do all you can to help your team members succeed. And if people are leaving you frequently, it is time to look in the mirror and find out what you as a leader are doing wrong. Good people want to work for good leaders and are NOT easy to replace.
#7 “I’m already a great leader”
Studies prove that people believe they are better leaders than what they actually are based on feedback from those they lead. This misperception often leads leaders into a false sense of security, resulting in stagnant or less than stellar results. Instead, leaders need to be humble and must listen closely to and constantly seek feedback from those they lead. Part of being a great leader is changing and continually striving to be better.
Do any of these unproductive leadership beliefs dance around in your head? If so, find ways to get rid of them immediately! It’s time for leaders to stop hindering their own success.
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