Everyone strives to be a leader, but few actually possess the ability to fulfill the role efficiently. However, contrary to popular belief, leadership involves a set of skills that can be learned and developed over time. As painful as it may be, one common way of gaining leadership experience is through mistakes. While it would be less painful to learn through the mistakes of others, it’s better to educate yourself on the common pitfalls associated with a leadership role.
Hiring Mistakes
Business owners often fall victim to hiring mistakes by making rash decisions or if they were left in the lurch by a previous employee. Unfortunately, these situations do nothing but create additional issues regarding teamwork and retention. When it happens, chances are high that you will go through the hiring process again and risk hiring another unsuitable employee.
The solution to hiring mistakes is to take the time necessary to locate the perfect individual for the role. Consider hard workers who exhibit signs of integrity and who are also on board with your mission. This may take time to narrow down, but it will be worth it in the end. By completing a lot of the work upfront, you can fill any open position with fantastic candidates, lowering your turnover rate significantly.
Paralyzing Fear
It’s healthy to stop and think before making a final decision, and a healthy amount of fear is good. Many aspects of life should cause you to reconsider your decisions, but when fear reaches a paralyzing level, it’s time to analyze it at the root. Recognizing your fears and concerns can determine whether they are completely unfounded. In the business world, poor decisions could easily cause an organization to lose clients, employees, revenue, and more.
The solution to gripping fear is to discover the root of the problem to resolve the issue completely. Take time to gather facts and opinions, and set a deadline to work out a worst-case scenario. By understanding the constructs of your paralyzing fear, you will be well-equipped to face it head-on. Take a moment to reassure yourself that you were placed into a leadership position for a good reason – you can do it. Don’t back down from the challenge of addressing fears; your team needs a steadfast leader backing them up.
Becoming a Control Freak
Chances are, your organization is your baby, and it can feel intimidating to hand the reins over to another individual. You have watched the company grow from the ground up, but you must loosen your grip for it to thrive. You’ve put the chosen candidates through the wringer for a reason, and now it is time to trust them with your brainchild. If you trusted them enough to hire them, feel confident in their abilities and skills to complete the task.
When you create an environment of trust, your employees will be poised to succeed in matters of all shapes and sizes. This highlights the importance of proper training from the get-go and a bit of observation as they earn additional trust. Practices such as these allow new hires to showcase their integrity, abilities, and competency. Once they have proven themselves, however, you have to stop any micromanaging tactics within your employ.
A Lack of Connection
The other side presents a lack of connection between leadership and employees. Leaders in this situation possess poor communication skills and have no clue what their employees are up to. This results in a disorganized team that lacks any level of trust in terms of leadership. Without the opportunity to get to know you, employees can’t build a real relationship, and your team is doomed to fail.
One solution to this problem is through regular, one-on-one meetings that enable direct reports to check in with you and report on work as it progresses. An open-door policy also allows you to voice questions, problems, and concerns. Take the time to brush up on your listening skills to ensure your employees feel heard. Alternatively, consider expressing what’s in your heart and mind to your employees to improve your professional relationship.
Lacking Self-Awareness
When your workplace is heavy with a sense of disconnectedness, you will want to work quickly to identify the cause. More often than not, disconnection issues arise whenever leadership lacks self-awareness and fails to recognize a need. Unfortunately, leaders like this operate within a tunnel vision that prevents them from acknowledging how their actions hurt the organization and employees. As a result, customers are unhappy, employees feel they’re on thin ice, and problems begin to mount.
Rather than allow this situation to fester, leaders should create a personal growth plan before getting stuck in an inferior work routine. You don’t know how long you have been in a leadership role. The earlier you accept this as a fact, the quicker you can acquire new skills. Don’t allow yourself to go stale once you seemingly reach your dream job, but rather keep the path clear while you work on self-sacrificial tasks.
Neglectful Vision
Companies that lack a specific long-term goal or vision may cause misunderstandings to the overall mission and your employees. This situation decreases morale quickly, which increases turnover rates and may lead to unwanted closures. If you aren’t bothered to prepare, you will fail before you even begin. No one despises the idea of monotonous tasks daily more than your employees.
What does your team look like when you think of the future as a leader? Will they still be there in one month? Six months? Ten years down the road? Start by creating a company mission statement if your organization is currently lacking, and ensure employees understand the goal. Next, leadership should communicate plans regarding team growth, growth opportunities, and more. This gives team members the chance to think long-term at your company rather than searching for their next job elsewhere.
Avoiding Conflict
Typically, your average person hates conflict and avoids it at all costs. The reasoning behind this decision is sound, but there’s nothing worse than feeling at odds with your coworker or employee/employer. Therefore, hiding from conflict rather than keeping the peace is more of a people-pleasing move for self-preservation than anything else.
Discussing healthy disagreements can prevent the development of a toxic environment or unwarranted behavior. Excellent leaders understand the importance of nurturing healthy conflict through voicing honest opinions throughout the ranks. When necessary, feel free to schedule a specific meeting to guide employees through conflict. Perhaps they have been bottling up their feelings for some time and need a safe space to vent.
Neglecting Yourself
Making mistakes as a leader is not unheard of and may be expected at the start of a new career. While it is essential to help others before yourself, there’s nothing worse you can do than allow your physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health to slip. Maybe you feel sleep is for weak leaders, but once you wear yourself down, your team may suffer as a byproduct.
If neglectful sleeping habits are your issue, take the time to form new sleeping habits throughout the week. Take plenty of exercise and eat a healthy diet while enjoying breaks throughout the day. Setting clear work boundaries is another method by which you can be more present with family or friends on the weekend. Reflection, hobbies, and prayer often play a significant role in the rejuvenation of others. Whatever you choose, ensure it is something you enjoy for your benefit.
Failing to Prioritize Fun
The prioritization of fun activities may fall pretty low on the list, but an environment rich in high-pressure situations does not provide an environment of growth and positivity. Simply put, your team members are human beings who appreciate the opportunity to relax and bond.
Taking the time to celebrate with one another will benefit the company across the board. Make sure to leave room for team-building skills during the week or invest in a group lunch to express gratitude regularly. Although you aren’t required to make best friends with your team, your relationship interactions don’t have to center around work.
In Conclusion
These mistakes leaders make aren’t an exhaustive list. Undoubtedly, you will discover some on your own as you begin this journey. Remember that mistakes are part of being human, especially for leaders. On the bright side, however, these mistakes play a role in your leadership improvement.
