Being in a leadership role is not a bed of roses. A big part of the job for leaders is to make sure mistakes are minimized, and errors are corrected quickly and efficiently.
Leaders should not be afraid of making mistakes. But, when they do, it’s highly important they learn from it and not commit the same mistake over and over. If you aspire to be the best manager you can be, here are the biggest leadership mistakes every business executive should avoid making:
1. Opting For Band-Aid Solutions To Fix Problems
When faced with challenges, some people tend to rely on quick fixes. Although these band-aid solutions can be very satisfying, you must realize that they often don’t last and, sometimes, even cause more problems in the long run. As a good business executive, you should look at not only fast fixes but also the root of the issues in your company or team. By knowing what causes the problem, you can develop strategies to address it. Sometimes, this also means accepting help from experts, such as Navalent’s team of organizational design consultants.
2. Not Communicating Effectively
Effective communication is a skill that every business leader should learn to develop. Besides, learning to gather information from employees, customers, and other stakeholders, it’ll help business executives do their job quickly and correctly.
It would help if you also remembered that communication is a two-way street. Aside from being great at securing complete and accurate information, you also need to know how to express your plans clearly and give due credit to your employees. Simply saying ‘nice job’ to your team members is one of the things managers should never say. Instead, be more specific about what you think a team member did well.
3. Continuing To Micromanage
If there’s one trait that great chief executives possess, it’s their skill at delegating tasks. If you are a business executive and aspire to become a CEO in the future or even open your own company, you should know the importance of delegating work effectively. So, stop micromanaging and start finding the right people to handle essential tasks so that you can focus on your leadership roles and responsibilities.
4. Adopting A Laissez-Faire Attitude
As mentioned earlier, leaders should learn to delegate. But, this doesn’t mean they ought to be completely hands-off and just let their team members undertake projects without proper guidance. Instead, you must know how to strike the right balance between micromanaging and laissez-faire or being too lax. Giving team members vital responsibilities is an excellent vote of confidence that will motivate your employees. But, as a leader, you still need to regularly follow up or check on the project to see if team members are encountering challenges or need help.
5. Always Opposing Change
The business environment today is very dynamic. If there’s one lesson every executive must learn from the recent pandemic, it’s that leaders should be fast to react and adapt to the moment’s needs. Besides, opposing change will not benefit your company. All the energy and time you wasted on resisting will only allow your competitors to take advantage of the situation. Instead, always be on the lookout for trends in your industry so that you can quickly react, anticipate, and even lead the change.
6. Continually Doubting Abilities
Occasional second-guessing is normal for everybody, even among top business executives. Sometimes, this attitude could keep you on your toes and make you want to double-check and analyze your plans carefully. However, if second-guessing becomes second nature, you’re not giving due service to yourself and your team. Instead, your self-doubt will rub on to members of your team and, before you know it, you and your team will not be able to move forward and be too afraid to try new things.
Remember that you’re placed in a leadership position because the top honchos believe in your judgment and trust that you can handle your team. So, think that you have what it takes to succeed.
7. Not Having Clear Goals And Vision
Mediocre business executives go with the flow. Like a tumbleweed, they’ll wait for the wind to take them whenever and wherever. Not having clear goals and a vision of what you aspire for your team could result in inefficient use of time and resources, unfocused projects, and even inaccurate success metrics. If you want to be a great leader, you ought to set clear objectives for your team so that everyone knows what’s expected of them and that they’ll be held accountable for reaching these goals.
8. Not Setting A Good Example
One reason some people have authority problems is that they don’t see their leaders following the guidelines that they set. So, if you want to be an excellent leader whom people will be willing to follow, set an example, and walk the talk. Don’t say one thing and do another.
The Bottom Line
As a business executive, you’re bound to make mistakes, especially during the first months in office. However, the key is recognizing your mistakes and treating these setbacks as great opportunities to learn.
