I have worked with MANY leaders over my 30-year career, and each leader has their own set of strengths and growth opportunities. This has allowed me to observe themes I would like to share with you as you work to develop your own leadership skills and behaviors. Consider this a tool to stop yourself from making any of these five common mistakes:
Not taking the time to actually be a people leader
Not empowering people and releasing control
Not setting clear expectations upfront for both performance and behavior
Not giving feedback regularly
Not effectively managing your time and priorities
Let’s review each one in-depth so you really understand the pitfalls of leading in a way that won’t benefit you, your team or the organization:
#1: Not taking the time to be a people leader…Leading people takes time and commitment. It means carving out time away from the daily tasks and projects to give attention to your people. Most leaders, in theory, want to dedicate time to their team, but the reality of work gets in the way. It is critical that leaders block time to be the coach and developer that is essential for the growth of their people. Given that the definition of leadership is “achieving results through others”, leading people is actually the MOST important role a leader has. Historically, however, it gets pushed to the bottom of the list. One-on-one meetings are the first things to get canceled when deadlines are looming, or urgent tasks are added to the list. This sends a message to your direct reports that their development is less important than other responsibilities. Leaders must keep their commitments to their people and show up for them to create the culture of development that helps drive engagement.
#2: Not empowering people and not releasing control…Leaders got to where they are typically because they are/were good at doing the work. Given that, it is hard to release control and teach others how to do it, themselves. It takes time, and time is often a scarce commodity. Leaders may say to themselves “it is easier and quicker if I just do it myself.” Additionally, they are used to getting the recognition for a job well done and it may be hard to share the spotlight. Delegation and empowerment are critical for a few reasons. It drives employee engagement if direct reports feel a sense of ownership over something. It also frees up the leaders’ time to focus on #1 above, taking the time to be a people leader. Invest time in teaching and coaching to delegate and empower those you lead to accomplish the work. You will be happy in the long run.
#3: Not setting clear expectations upfront…A strong foundation is the key to success for anything. Expectations are that strong foundation. Setting clear expectations with your direct reports, and ensuring there is collaboration and agreement of those expectations, will make the rest of the job of leader and coach that much easier as it will be the anchor on which you rely. Expectations should be objective and measurable to make it very clear when somebody is/is not meeting them. By having these expectation-setting conversations early and often, a leader can feel confident in giving feedback when expectations are met, as well as when they are not.
#4: Not giving regular feedback…This is a direct connection to the previous item. As mentioned above, setting clear expectations makes it much easier to have feedback conversations. So, one of the reasons regular feedback does not happen is that expectations weren’t established, or agreed upon, early on. Additionally, feedback conversations can be perceived as uncomfortable when we have to let somebody know they need to work on a skill or behavior. Know that not having the conversation, or not having it soon enough,, you are actually doing your direct report a disservice. Create a culture where feedback is regular, welcomed and appreciated. Make sure ample time and attention is given to positive feedback as well as developmental. Take the time to notice things and provide feedback regularly. You will be glad you did.
#5: Not effectively managing your time and priorities…Are you aware how you spend your time? Are you intentional about focusing on important things, not just urgent things. If we don’t manage our time, our time will manage us. Effective leaders do their best to balance time spent on urgent matters that must be addressed, with important, strategic items that can get pushed aside if we don’t give them focus. It starts with determining what is worthy of your time and energy and then placing those things in your calendar in open blocks and protecting that time so you can give your energy to the things that matter. This is a full circle back to #1, focusing on your role as developer/coach. You must create the time to do this, and show your direct reports you are protecting that time. One strategy to avoid the mistake of poor time and priority management is “time blocking.” This is where you visibly look at your calendar and observe open pockets of time in a given week and place important items in those open pockets of time to ensure they get the attention they deserve. This will mitigate your calendar getting completely overtaken by others who feel they have “urgent” issues needing your attention.
I would love your thoughts on this list. Consider giving yourself a 1-5 rating on each and committing to working on one of these areas over the next 30 days. Let me know how you do and reach out if I can help you in any way.
Comments