Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Gladegy Consulting. Passionate about helping organizations thrive with strategic & actionable solutions.
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I’ve noticed a pattern. Through a decade of coaching leaders to become more credible and effective, I’ve seen the same six limiting behaviors cropping up again and again. These are behaviors that can be inherently positive in certain aspects, but in a leadership role, they can be a detriment to a person’s ability to inspire others, make decisions and lead a team to success.
The good news is that all of these behaviors are coachable. If you see yourself in any of the material below, take heart: You can work through these behaviors and come out a stronger, better leader than ever before.
Excessive Deliberation When Developing Strategy
In the realm of leadership, an all-too-common pitfall is the tendency to be excessively deliberate when developing a strategy. While meticulous planning has its merits, an overdose of caution can breed a crippling fear of failure. This fear, in turn, shackles leaders, preventing them from venturing into the uncharted territory where groundbreaking ideas often reside.
Leaders gripped by an aversion to failure inadvertently stifle the very essence of innovation. Their reluctance to embrace the inevitable missteps and trials that come with visionary thinking hampers creativity and hinders the emergence of game-changing concepts. The consequence? Missed opportunities for growth, expansion and market leadership, leaving the organization languishing in the wake of more daring competitors.
Rather than endlessly pondering and dissecting every detail, shift your focus to creative, unconventional ideas that transcend the boundaries of your industry or organization’s current norms. Embrace the spirit of healthy risk-taking and trust your instincts. They are your compass in the uncharted terrain of innovation.
Being Overly Strong-Willed
Strong-willed leaders may possess an unyielding belief in their own ideas and decisions. While this confidence can be admirable, an aversion to soliciting input from team members can result in missed opportunities for diverse perspectives when creating strategies. Without the benefit of collective insights, strategies may lack innovation and fail to address critical nuances.
Also, leaders with an excessive degree of strong-willed behavior may find it challenging to admit when a strategy isn’t yielding the expected results. Their determination to prove their initial decisions right can prevent them from pivoting or adjusting strategies in response to setbacks.
If you’re not tapping into the comprehensive resources of your team, you’re missing out on the opportunity to use every asset at your disposal to get the job done. This is a waste. It’s impossible for one person to have all the information or every brilliant idea since we all have blind spots. Remember to lean on your team for support and feedback. After all, that’s why you hired them.
Preferring A Consistently Steady Pace
Leaders who strongly prefer a steady pace might resist destabilizing change, and this hesitancy can lead to missed opportunities and stifle growth as the organization fails to stay ahead of evolving trends. A steady-paced leader might inadvertently discourage innovation and experimentation within their team. The lack of a conducive environment for agility and trying new ideas can impede the development of novel approaches that could lead to breakthrough results.
When change comes knocking on your door, don’t be afraid to pivot. If you prefer a consistent steady pace and change knocks you out of your ideal rhythm, create an action plan ahead of time to help you deal with new and challenging circumstances, such as knowing who you can delegate tasks to when your schedule gets tight. Adaptability is the key to success.
Being Too Reserved
The ability to communicate enthusiasm and the rationale behind ideas is the fuel that ignites the collective spirit and inspires teams to greatness. A leader with a consistently reserved demeanor risks missing out on the opportunity to kindle enthusiasm among their team members. This absence of genuine passion for the vision can lead to lackluster efforts from the team.
If your natural personality is more reserved, seek out training that teaches you how to project a persona that draws your team closer, fosters approachability and sparks inspiration. By doing so, you not only enhance your leadership prowess but also create an environment where innovation and growth flourish.
Appearing Too Forceful
Leaders who are too forceful may dominate conversations, erode psychological safety and make it difficult for team members to authentically voice their opinions and ideas. When decisions are consistently made without input from others, team members may feel disempowered and less motivated to take initiative, eroding morale and ultimately impacting employee well-being and results.
Not sure if you’re approachable? Ask for feedback from those around you. If the answer is “no,” it would be helpful to work on communication skills with training and coaching.
Being Overly Skeptical
Leaders who are overly skeptical might question every decision made by their team members, hindering the team’s ability to make confident choices without constant scrutiny. An environment marked by excessive skepticism can lead to defensiveness among team members and undermine the leader’s ability to connect with and mentor their staff by creating a dynamic of mistrust and disrespect.
Developing trust in others and letting go of the need to handle everything yourself takes time, but it can be done through deep inner work with a coach or therapist. Only by building trust in your team can you mentor tomorrow’s top employees and be the most effective leader possible.
Better Leadership Is Within Your Grasp
The sting of self-awareness can be profound, but it is the catalyst for transformation. When you recognize how certain behaviors may be limiting your leadership potential, you stand at the precipice of growth and greatness. Challenge your ego and embrace this moment as the first step on your journey to becoming the exceptional leader you are destined to be.
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