The Seven Deadly Mistakes
You can correct glaring mistakes. It’s subtle blunders that defeat you.
The Seven Deadly Mistakes
#1. Proving yourself.
You proved yourself when they hired you.
- Own the job.
- Find confidence in your ability to listen, learn, and decide. You never know it all and you never have all the answers.
- Reject defensiveness.
- Remember that your words and actions deeply impact those around you.
#2. Being gullible.
- There’s almost always more to the story.
- Keep alert for personal agendas.
- People minimize their mistakes and exaggerate their successes.
- Flashy people talk about things they’re going to do. Look for real results.
Curiosity, transparency, and candor answer gullibility. Keep exploring. Ask questions before making statements.
Listen to quiet doers before flashy talkers.
#3. Neglecting the free stuff.
- Pats on the back.
- Admiration.
- Thank-yous.
- Public acknowledgment.
#4. Setting distant goals.
Distant deadlines get put on the shelf.
Set short-term goals that allow teams to start again.
It’s better to finish one thing and start another than to chase urgent trivialities.
#5. Belittling small wins.
You need big wins. How you achieve them is what matters.
- Win small – win often.
- Big wins are the result of many small wins.
- Day-to-day behaviors produce dramatic results.
Win small to win big.
#6. Speaking quick and listening slow.
Quick speaking leaders devalue others.
- Listen to make others feel heard.
- Take a breath and relax.
- Say, “Tell me more.”
- Get comfortable with silence.
- Ask, “What else?”
Engagement requires feeling heard.
#7. Forgetting enjoyment.
If you aren’t careful, responsibility multiplies misery.
- Enjoy your teammates.
- Celebrate imperfect wins.
- Savor problems as opportunities.
- Focus on things you can control.
The fear of mistakes is a mistake.
What deadly mistakes must leaders avoid?
5 Dumb Mistakes Leaders Make – Leadership Freak
10 big mistakes successful leaders make – CBS News
Your content is spot on. Today’s content is especially poignant, I interpret it as the small blunders are what erodes our credibility and that discernment is crucial. Who we are as a Leader (valuing integrity and accuracy – among other things) is not necessarily shared within our Peer Group or Teams. We can model it but we need to discern and valid what we are presented with because it is our credibility that can be called into question.
Thanks, Dawn. I wonder if optimistic skepticism is one way to look at this. Receive openly. Evaluate carefully.