6 Dumb Leadership Mistakes Part Deux
Yesterday I posted 6 leadership mistakes people persecute themselves with. I didn’t want to make the mistake of offering an incomplete list.
Tolstoy hinted at the massive opportunity for blunders when he wrote, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
Leadership Mistakes Part Deux
(See items 1-6 here)
#7. Treating everyone the same
Fairness treats everyone the same.
Sameness insults uniqueness.
Aristotle taught us to treat equals equally and unequals unequally.
High performers need challenge. New performers need clarity. Discouraged performers need support.
Treating everyone the same guarantees you treat people wrong.
#8. Creating artificial urgency
Leaders become manipulators when everything is urgent. Eventually people roll their eyes and ignore them.
Artificial urgency destroys confidence.
#9. Using email to solve heated issues
Cowards hide behind email. Email during hot situations…
- Multiplies misunderstanding.
- Inflames emotion.
- Neglects humility.
- Delays resolution.
#10. Talking without action
Theory is toothless leadership. It feels smart, but wisdom begins with action.
Talk creates the illusion of progress. It drains urgency and hides responsibility.
Action energizes talent.
#11. Believing silence is buy-in
Silence is space leaders fill with wishful thinking.
Silence…
- Masks confusion.
- Hides resistance.
- Feeds ego.
- Rewards disengagement.
#12. Overestimating your competence
Success in one area makes you dangerous in another. You see the myth omni-confidence when movie stars sell cars on TV.
Success has many parents; you are only one.
Stay curious, not cocky.
The most important thing you do happens after you do something dumb. Embrace reality. Act with humility.
What are the top three dumb leadership mistakes?
What dumb leadership mistakes can you add?
Self-Sabotaging: Why We Do It and How to Stop the Cycle
All good. I particularly like #11.
We made a significant change, now we can coast.
Ahh, the joys of coasting. Thanks, Paul.
“Success in one area makes you dangerous in another. You see the myth omni-confidence when movie stars sell cars on TV.” So True. We have this historical myth of the “Great Man.” The leader that is all-knowing and can do everything. We have seen this with NFL stars who have tried their hand at broadcasting games, coaching, or general management. Just because you were a great QB, doesn’t mean you are going to be great at other aspects of the operation.
Some have successfully done these things, but the list of failures is very long. Even the great Michael Jordan was fired as an NBA General Manager – being the best on the court is different from being able to evaluate talent and navigate the variables of contract negotiations and team budgets.
Powerful application. When you mentioned Jordan, I thought of his baseball career.
On one hand trying new things can move us forward. But, humility is always a good thing.
“High performers need challenge.
New performers need clarity.
Discouraged performers need support.”
I put this one as a sticky on my monitor to help me commit it to memory. It’s right next to “What have you tried?” (from a prior post).
I find these helpful tools in my conversations.
I appreciate the daily mindset (and the tips) that help align my thinking and improve coaching.
I can’t wait to write this on our office dry erase board: High Performers need Challenge; New Performers need Clarity; Discouraged Performers need Support. Food for thought! Thanks