Common Leadership Mistakes
Sometimes we feel like we are caught in the darkness. The light can help guide us. Resources and support are the light. I love this photo of the Seattle shoreline at night with the lights showing the way back.
Are you a leader?
Do you know how you are doing?
Do you ever ask for feedback?
Sometimes leaders feel like they are failing (and sometimes they are). Often this is because we’ve never given them the support or training to lead.
Making a mistake is OK, but you need to learn something from it; to grow and improve (spoiler alert: I have support and resources you can access at the end of this blog).
Do any of these common leadership mistakes hit home for you?
Thinking You Need to Have all the Answers
Saying “I don’t know, but l will find out” is a powerful phrase.
It takes vulnerability and courage to speak those words, but the ability to admit you don’t have all the answers is an essential skill good leaders practise.
For many of us, when we grew up, we were tested on knowledge and facts. Tests were often recall and knowledge-based. Focus in school was on knowing all the things.
The world has changed. The internet is at our fingertips, and we can find the answer to just about anything with just a few keystrokes.
We’ve all worked with those people who think they know everything and have all the answers, but what they say isn’t always accurate. They just feel like they need have an answer (they don’t seem to care as much about accuracy).
Can you think of someone like that? Do you respect them? Probably not. People see through that behaviour.
Micro-managing Other People
Have you ever had someone micro-manage you? They constantly check in and tell you what and how to do everything? How did that feel?
Micro-managers need to be in control and do not trust others to do their job.
Additionally, being that overly involved in controlling other people means you lack enough time to do your own work.
So, do you just let them go away and never check on them? Nope. It doesn’t need to be one extreme or the other.
Trust, but verify, is a great mantra to embrace. You can check in with people and ask them how things are going and what their goals and next steps are, and then check in on those without telling them what and how to do everything. Keep it open-ended, rather than prescriptive.
Having a regular meeting cadence is great; just make sure that you are focusing on curiosity and support, rather than orders and advice.
Ignoring Interpersonal Conflict
Unresolved interpersonal conflict festers and can ruin relationships and make teams dysfunctional.
Addressing this type of conflict is rarely fun, but is an essential element of leadership.
An important first step is to set the expectation that people need to address issues with the individual first, but that you are there for support if necessary.
When you notice conflict, stop and address it. If it needs to be dealt with in a private meeting, ensure that meeting is scheduled.
When someone comes to you to complain about someone, ask them the question, “Have you addressed this with them yet?” Do not allow people to dump problems on you if they haven’t taken the first step to try to solve them. This also teaches them not to just come to you to complain.
Note: the obvious exception to the talk to the person first is around abuse and harassment.
Not Knowing Team Strengths/Challenges
Knowing the strengths and challenges of each team member is imperative to leading a high-functioning team.
As a leader, you want to set people up to succeed, which means knowing when you are playing to their strengths, and when they will need extra support.
Another great application of this is to assign work based on strengths and interests. Not everyone on your team needs to do exactly the same work. If one person really likes (and is good at) one particular task, and someone else hates it (or isn’t good at it), then it’s OK to assign more of that task to the first person and play to the strengths of the second person by assigning them different work that they like (and are good at).
DISC Assessments provide invaluable data for both individuals, but also to leaders. The sections on strengths, motivators, situations that reduce motivation and reactions to pressure situations should be required reading for leaders.
Not Scheduling Regular Check-Ins
Many people feel that they have too many meetings, and that is probably true.
Acknowledging that fact, regular, informal meetings with team members saves you time in the long run.
Team members who have questions or concerns, but who have regular meetings with their leader will often just hold them until those meetings, saving you some interruptions.
Additionally, checking in with people allows you to uncover issues and challenges when they are small, and can be addressed and solved. It allows people to bring them up before they become a monster problem.
Talking More Than Listening
Great leaders coach, which involves listening way more than talking (70% listening to 30% talking). And talking should be asking great questions. Michael Bungay Stanier poses the challenge, “Can you stay curious just a little bit longer?”
We tend to want to solve problems for other people, but that doesn’t help them. You also rob them of the feeling of accomplishment they get when they figure it out.
Have you ever known someone who talked all the time? They never listened? How did you feel about them? Those types of leaders generally annoy those who are around them.
Do you see yourself?
Do you see yourself in any of these? Recognizing them and acknowledging them is a great first step. Want help?
There are several things you can do!
#1. Learn more about common mistakes and get some resources
Sign up to get instant access to resources (videos and a downloadable PDF) about leadership mistakes and resources to help.
#2. Do a DISC assessment.
Learn about your style, what motivates you, situations that reduce your motivation and how to interact successfully with other styles. Sign up for my Free DISC Course to get a discount on the assessment and learn more about DISC!
#3. Get coaching
Take it a step further and get some coaching to understand how to use the report, or to just get support in growing your leadership skills.
#4. Book a Discovery Call
Learn about how I can help you or your organization to build strong leaders and healthy teams. Book now.
#5. Sign up for my newsletter.
A great first step. It’s full of great help and small bits of information so is easily digestible.
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