No one’s perfect and when the average imperfect individual finds him or herself in a leadership position, there are suddenly many more opportunities to mess up. As the scope of responsibility grows, the likelihood of making mistakes increases. There are five common mistakes leaders make that have nothing to do with the technical aspects of the job. These mistakes are about people.
Failing to respect subordinates.
This is amazingly common! For some reason, when a person assumes a leadership role, they completely forget what it was like to be on the other side. All those behaviors the new leader complained about before becoming a leader mysteriously disappear and he or she becomes what they had previously despised.
Failing to communicate.
This goes two ways. First, leaders often fail to keep subordinates informed, either assuming they don’t need to know or worrying about losing power. Maybe your workers don’t need to know, but informed workers perform better. Second, leaders fail to establish a culture that encourages subordinates to communicate with the boss. The most valuable information and the best ideas come from those closest to the action. Listen to them.
Failing to articulate the mission.
Often the team doesn’t really know the organization’s real mission and how they fit into that mission. Sure, they know their jobs, but they aren’t clear about where their organization is really going and how they can help it get there. When a team’s leader can explain not only the organization’s mission and goals, but also how that team’s members are important to accomplishing them, that team will be much more effective.
Failure to laugh at yourself.
A good sense of humor is essential to maintaining sanity as a leader. Many leaders take themselves too seriously. The ability to laugh at your own mistakes goes a long way toward making life more bearable. That doesn’t mean leaders shouldn’t take their responsibilities seriously, just that a lighter approach works better and will help you live longer.
Love of power.
There’s a saying that power tends to corrupt. If you need an example of this, just look at many politicians and some corporate leaders. But, you don’t have to be a politician, CEO, or live in the c-suite for this to be a problem. Even a little bit of power can cause an addiction that will be disastrous for leadership success. Leaders will quickly adapt to the perks of their position, no matter how small those perks might be, and want more. Whatever small amount of power they may have will soon become insufficient. That’s when trouble starts. At first it’s minor, like flaunting their new parking spot, demanding the seat by the window or the corner office, or treating workers like servants. But, the quest for more power, and especially the perks that come with more power, can quickly lead the unwary leader down a road that leads to dismissal or even prison. It’s best not to think of leadership as power. Rather recognize it for what it really is; responsibility.
If you avoid these mistakes, everything will be rosy, right? No, but you will be a better leader and your team will be more effective.
Bob Mason is dedicated to leadership development. He works with companies to solve problems by helping supervisors and managers become more effective leaders leading more productive teams. He is a professional speaker and author of Don’t Worry, You Can Do This: What New Supervisors and Managers Need to Know About Leadership; The Art of Not Motivating: How Leaders Can Succeed by Understanding the True Nature of Motivation; Balancing the Generations: A Leader’s Guide to the Complex, Multi-Generational, 21st Century Workplace; and Planning to Excel: Strategic Planning That Works.
A 30-year career in the U.S. Air Force exposed him to great leaders and leadership opportunities such as command of four squadrons, including the Air Force’s largest munitions squadron. He has studied leadership extensively, but more importantly has been there, working with real people, making hard decisions, and experiencing the results.
Contact Bob at Bob@BobMasonSpeaker.com or 505-453-5266
