10 Weaknesses that Derail Leaders
Maximizing strengths enhances performance and elevates fulfillment.
“A man should never be appointed to a managerial position if his vision focuses on people’s weaknesses rather than on their strengths. The man who always knows what people cannot do, but never sees what they can do, will undermine the spirit of the organization,” Peter Drucker.
There is a difference between ‘focusing on’ weaknesses and ‘dealing with’ fatal flaws.
10 weaknesses that derail leaders:
Drucker says focusing on weaknesses disqualifies you from management. However, you never thrive when you ignore self-destructive weaknesses.
Not all flaws are equal.
Some flaws are low-impact inconveniences. Other weaknesses are fatal flaws that hold you back.
10 weaknesses:
- Low energy and enthusiasm.
- Accepting mediocrity.
- Lack of vision and direction.
- Poor judgement.
- Resistance to collaboration.
- Not walking the talk. Inconsistency.
- Resisting new ideas.
- Not learning from mistakes.
- Lacking personal skills. (Low EQ)
- Failing to develop people.
The above list is adapted from the research of Zinger and Folkman.
4 ways to face weaknesses like a leader:
#1. Constantly focus on growth and development.
Always think about moving the ball down the field. How might you grow in ways that limit the impact of weaknesses?
#2. Persistently reflect on potential.
#3. Don’t use weaknesses as excuses.
Weaknesses are growth opportunities, not time for a pity party.
#4. Choose incremental improvement over unrealistic expectations.
Strengthen strengths AND mitigate the negative impact of weaknesses.
What is a leaderly way to face weaknesses?
Two other weakness–
1. Inability to diagnose the current situation clearly and accurately.
2. Not holding people accountable to agreed upon goals and expectations.
Another way to face weaknesses–
1. Put people in jobs and situations that match their strengths and skills.
I like the word ‘challenges’ rather than ‘weaknesses’.
other ways to face weaknesses as a leader
1 Leaders can delegate more responsibility to others in areas where they are ‘challenged’. This mitigates the weakness and also allows others to develop their strengths
2 Discussing their own challenges openly allows leaders to demonstrate transparency and humility
Recently I heard someone express how exciting the idea of a growth mindset could be. Just think, you could be different with a little effort!
Instead of calling it a weakness, as if it were innate, what if you said “I don’t know how to…ski. I’m going to learn.” You read a book, you book a vacation, you take a class, all of a sudden you find yourself in the cashier line weighting and unweighting your foot. It’s June and you can’t wait for December when you can practice again.
Can you learn to learn from mistakes, for example? Is the diagnosis any different from any other broken process? Why can’t I learn? I’m embarrassed to acknowledge mistakes. Why? The team will see me as weak. Why?
If you keep going pretty soon you are standing in the cashiers line looking for a mistake so you can learn. It’s gone from a shameful weakness to a new sport.