Even though mistakes give you great learning opportunities, they are not something you want to happen every day, especially when you are starting out as a leader and want to do your best at your new management position.
Being a leader is quite challenging and sometimes intimidating. You are always under the spotlight and every decision you make can be either approved or questioned by both your superiors and those you have in charge. There is no possible way for you to know if your approach is the best since every leadership style is unique. However, there are some common mistakes that can compromise the respect and effectiveness of your team and you may want to avoid them.
In this article, Jason Hanold will list some of the most critical mistakes leaders make inside organizations. Most of these mistakes can be prevented through discipline and experience since managers always want to avoid any potential pitfall in order to maximize their potential as a leader.
1. Not Providing Feedback
Giving feedback gives your team members the opportunity to improve their performance. Sadly, not giving feedback is the most common mistake leaders make.
Leaders exist so they can provide feedback to their team. Due to their experience and knowledge, they are the ones in charge of supporting and motivating employees inside organizations. It is not a random decision that they actually got the chance to become leaders. They should be there to look after their team, and the best way to do so is by nurturing their best and nipping any possible problem in the office.
Image courtesy of Alan Levine at flickr.com
One of the biggest reasons why leaders don’t give negative feedback is because they don’t want their team to lose motivation, however, giving negative feedback in a constructive way can encourage confidence as well as performance in your team members. If leaders want their teams to perform at their best, the must be there to guide them–with negative feedback as well as positive.
2. Not being available for your team
As a leader, sometimes it may be challenging to dedicate enough time or attention to your team. Often, this represents a major issue since your people need guidance and support in order for them to meet their objectives as a team. It is vital to keep in mind that your team must come first.
If you are a busy persona, try to block out time in your agenda that you can spend with your team. Dealing with their needs, talking about their problems, giving them feedback, and letting people know that your door is always open are some of the best things you can do when you are in a leadership or management position.
3. Being Too Friendly
Most of us want to be perceived as friendly human beings and approachable co-workers to people in our organizations. It is known that people work better and are happier when they get the chance to work for a manager that they get along with. Nevertheless, it is important to keep some distance, so you don’t mislead your team member to believe you are their friend or someone they could take some advantage of.
Of course, you can be friendly and socialize with your people, but you need to find the right balance between being kind and being their boss.
4. Not defining clear goals
People inside and organization are more productive when they have a defined set of goals, this means that they know what they are working for and what their work actually means. When leaders define goals, they give the opportunity to their people to define which work route they will take in order to prioritize their workload effectively, allowing them to complete their projects and tasks in the right order.
Leaders should learn how to set goals for their teams, this way people will be able to know where they are going and detail the resources it can draw upon. Usually, working according to an objective system helps teams align with the organization’s mission.
5. Motivation
Teams are not only motivated by money, and leaders often make the mistake of assuming that is all their teams want in order to feel fulfilled and satisfied with their jobs. Monetary rewards are good, but having flexible schedules, telecommuting days, a sense of camaraderie or even having extra responsibilities can be key elements leaders should consider in order to keep their teams motivated.
Leaders should read more and be more prepared to identify what really meets the needs of those they have in charge. Bosses are the ones responsible for keeping teams motivated since this motivation is the one that will drive the company to success in the end.
Read more about the most common mistakes leaders should avoid making.