Leaders come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. That’s one of the great things about business. Everyone has the chance to prove that they have what it takes to succeed “their way.”
However, there are times when your way might be wrong. That doesn’t mean that you aren’t leadership material – everyone makes mistakes. They key is to identify and learn from them. With that in mind, let’s take a look at four common leadership mistakes that are best to avoid.
Mr./Ms. Know it All
Nobody knows it all, and that’s okay. That’s why you’re not a one man/woman show. You have workers who have their own insights, and sometimes, they’re going to be right instead of you – and, again, that’s okay. What isn’t okay is snapping at people politely trying to correct you or damning the torpedoes and your own wrongness and going full steam ahead – right into disaster.
When in doubt, ask for help. That’s part of why you hired these people in the first place, right?
A Failure to Communicate
Your employees aren’t mind readers. If you don’t communicate your wishes or vision clearly enough, they won’t understand what you mean, and thus won’t be able to do what you want. If this happens once or twice, maybe it’s just a breakdown in communication. If it happens repeatedly, maybe it’s you – and a sign your communication skills could use some polishing.
Micromanaging Versus Feedback
No one likes a micromanager, and no one likes being told to do those same tasks with little or no guidance. Thankfully, these two problems can be solvable as one. Help employees through things once (or have a manager do so) and then let them take over, and give them feedback on their next attempt so they know what they’ve done well and where they can improve.
The Perfect Lie
You are not perfect, and neither are your teammates. Make sure that you are being realistic with your expectations of yourself and others. Too much pressure won’t cause your company’s engine to pick up speed – and it may just make it explode.
Identifying and addressing these common mistakes are critical for your improvement as a boss.