As your company grows, there comes a time where you may need to pause and realize, “what got me here won’t get me there”. It is vital to analyze your team dynamics, check your blind spots and fix any “leadership mistakes” you may have been making, to adapt to a growing business.
“What got me here won’t get me there”
“Here” is a product or service, a funded company, and a growing team and client roster. “There” is growth and success. Getting “there” requires hardworking employees, satisfied clients, investors, and a clear long-term vision.
In our race to grow, we become blind to leadership blunders that could cost us our companies’ success.
Resilience, determination, flexibility, curiosity, and empathy are all positive traits to have as a leader and easy to see.
Sometimes, in operating small businesses, less observable behaviors can be detrimental to growing and scaling. These are leadership blind spots. At best, they’re a tiny nuisance to our employees; at worst, they could be chipping away at our businesses.
Here are the four most common behavioral mistakes we see leaders making.
Leadership Mistake #1: Withholding Information
“My team doesn’t know how to do (something basic)”
“They should have known how to do XYZ”
Are you…
…sharing ALL the information they need to be successful?
…connecting with your team to pass along information?
…looping people into essential conversations?
Or are you…
…keeping people in the dark because it helps you maintain your power?
Effective leaders invest time setting expectations, providing necessary information, and setting team members up for success. This investment leads teams to be more productive and sets you up to be happy with their work.
Naturally that’s worth an extra 30 minutes of your time.
Leadership Mistake #2: Not Showing Gratitude
The second behavioral mistake leaders make is not showing gratitude. YOU may not need recognition, meanwhile, your team does.
An ungracious leader is likely stingy with appreciation and praise. Their team feels underappreciated and resentful or worse, attacked or completely unacknowledged.
Leaders tell us, “My team doesn’t speak up in meetings. They reveal problems after they’ve become emergencies. They seem disinterested and uninspired.”
If your progress has hit a wall, it’s time to show your appreciation. Showing regular gratitude will earn you a lot of respect and loyalty. An activity, a happy hour, or a simple “thank you” shows employees you acknowledge their work.
And happy employees are more likely to stay at your company longer.
Leadership Mistake #3: Being the Smartest Person in the Room
“I’m surrounded by idiots. I have to manage every little thing my people do.”
Are you frustrated that your team…
…asks you for permission to take any single action?
…requires micromanagement of their work at the eleventh hour?
…is slowing on innovation or coming up with new ideas?
Chances are, you’ve made the third leadership behavioral mistake. Trying to be “the smartest person in the room.”
You may tell your team you trust them, value their work, and appreciate their input. The second you micromanage, override or redo projects, you’ve disempowered them. To be blunt: you acting “smart” makes them feel stupid.
As a leader and founder, it’s your job to build and maintain a skilled team you trust. To create shared goals that build the brand you’ve created. If this isn’t the case, that’s on you as the leader.
You must have faith in your team and give them opportunities to shine. Focus on building their brilliance and expertise over your own.
Leadership Mistakes #4: Taking Credit for Good Ideas
The fourth behavioral mistake is taking credit for good ideas. A leader who takes credit for other people’s ideas and work won’t be a leader for long. Nothing will turn employees against you faster.
Are you frustrated that your team is resentful, delaying progress, and disrespecting you? As a leader, are you creating injustice and disrespecting them by not sharing credit. Taking credit for their work and ideas diminishes their importance and self-worth.
An effective leader showcases their abilities by sharing the glory with their team. The team’s success equates to successful leadership. Take pride in that!
Check your Blind Spots as a Leader
Simple things you may not even be aware of could undermine your ability to be successful or your business’s bottom line.
Check your behavioral blind spots: if you’re noticing these trends, take a moment and identify your role in them.
Get feedback from your team. Granted, it may not be easy to hear, however this process will build trust. Being honest about your shortcomings and resolving to improve them makes you a better leader and protects your business’s future.
Are you struggling with something similar? Did you just realize you’ve been making one of these leadership mistakes, but not sure how to get back on track?
As a business strategist and founder/CEO of Free Range Thinking, I help creatives and executives develop their leadership style, build their team, and bring their vision to life. Schedule a conversation to discover how we can help!
