With so many lessons, here are a few leadership signals that you are doing it all wrong.
Whether you are a new startup founder building out your team or that up and coming corporate manager leading a team, you undoubtedly should be thinking of ways to be an effective leader. Over the past 30 years of managing teams as well as advising rising executives, I have found that the first step is a healthy dose of self-awareness of the importance of effective leadership.
Leadership has to be intentional not accidental. You can’t limp in to great leadership. And you can’t make it up on the fly. Ultimately leadership is about character and how you want the important people in your organization to view your character.
First and foremost, let’s break down five of the more painful signs that you are a poor leader:
You take credit for wins you had nothing to do with. Let’s get the big one out in the open right away. Great leaders are happy to give others credit for company wins. Sharing credit can also be harmful. Feel secure in your role that if the team wins – you win, without the overt attempt to take some of the spotlight. This gets painfully worse when you stand up and take credit for things that you had no role in. Those in the know immediately discount your character.
You don’t empower your employees or peers. One person (you) can accomplish so much. You need a team to take your business to the next level. Creating opportunities to empower others should be a critical leg of your leadership strategy. Are you taking all of the authority away from others and micro-managing? This is not empowering and counter productive.
You spend more time on activities that raise you instead of the organization. I find this with many new CEO’s as they blur the lines between creating awareness for the company and themselves. In this social media crazed world these lines get moved every day. So be conscious of the line and spot check your behavior with others you trust. Vanity activities can be a killer for both you and your company.
And the other 2 you can get over at the full article at INC.COM.