Responsible mistake-making promotes growth. Dumb mistakes squander life.
Don’t learn everything from personal experience. It’s too expensive.
The 5 Dumb Mistakes Leaders Make
#1. Living an unprioritized life.
Urgencies dilute life into irrelevance even though you get stuff done.
Action Item: List three things that matter now. How much time will you dedicate to them today?
#2. Working too hard.
Working hard is admirable. Working without boundaries is madness.
Action-oriented leaders struggle to stop.
- Loving work can lead to overwork.
- Lack of trust makes you do work others should do.
Action Item: Learn to go home before you’re exhausted. Save energy for life outside work.
#3. Chasing too many opportunities.
A good opportunity can be bad.
Choose opportunities that align with your strengths and values.
Action Item: Drucker suggested two questions: “What needs to be done?” Then, “Of those things that would make a difference, which are right for me?”
#4. Neglecting feedback.
Feedback sets your compass. Without it you wander on the wrong road.
Action Items:
- Based on how I use time, what would you say my priorities are?
- Based on my interactions, how am I making others feel about themselves?
- Based on my strengths, when am I at my best?
#5. Having all the answers.
The practice of “not-knowing” elevates leaders.
Lead with confidence while staying curious.
Action Item: Assume you don’t know. Ask before you tell. Get curious before getting certain.
What dumb mistakes do you see leaders making?
How might leaders avoid dumb mistakes?
6 Dumb Leadership Mistakes – Leadership Freak
10 Stupid Things Smart Leaders Do – The Good Men Project
