Leaders today are busy addressing new challenges in this growing economy, many times without considering their own behaviors and attitudes and how others perceive them. This can be detrimental. Leaders need followers: loyal employees, suppliers, vendors and customers. It may be time to slow down, assess and repair any damage before it’s too late.
You cannot transform anything without getting to the source of the issue. And the issue may be your leadership style.
Ask yourself if you are derailing your leadership with these 7 behaviors:
Speaking up without thought. Don’t confuse fearlessness with confidence. Be responsible for what and how you say anything, both spoken and in writing. Otherwise, people will tune you out. Those taken aback by your message will scrutinize your actions. Truly listen. Hear things you don’t want to hear. Respond diplomatically. Become genuinely effective.
Accusing others of sending spam or junk. Too often social media connections are viewed as a way of accumulating numbers. Accusing others of sending spam or junk when they reach out to you can hurt your ability to attract new clients. You never know who they know! Relationships are important … develop them now. Conversely, learn to reach out to others to make a difference – not just make a sale— and respond appropriately. If you don’t wish to receive their information, simply unsubscribe.
Not following up. Many people today don’t follow up if they don’t readily see a purpose in doing so (Think, Hot prospect ready to buy now). Unfortunately, people can be very shrewd about what they share with you. Too often you find out later they purchased from your competitor who did follow up. Learn to listen and hear more than just the words. Probe and be open to learning more about the customer’s company, products and needs first.
Telling employees, “Do it my way.” Leaders in their quest to keep their bottom lines positive forget that their employees usually know their jobs better than their bosses do. Stop pretending to listen to their ideas! Ask employees for their input and incorporate their ideas appropriately. Ensure they feel valued. Make ongoing training and development a priority.
Making decisions based on fragments of information. We make decisions and declarations based upon the tiniest pieces of information. Many times there is no factual basis for the decision. This behavior will make others see you as a poor decision-maker. Respect differences in opinion and balance them with facts. Disparaging or bullying others to your way to thinking will not elicit the best response from others or improve your decisions.
Delaying important decisions. Uncertainty about which path to choose is understandable. Continually using it as an excuse is not. Your co-workers and employees are tired of hearing about it! Ask the right people for input – not just what you want to hear. Hire a business advisor for guidance. Make certain you understand the pros and cons of an issue. Don’t dismiss legal and financial implications as unimportant or as something that won’t happen to you. Develop sustainable practices to ensure replicable results. Don’t put off today what needs to be done today … or you’ll lose credibility and top employees.
Having no strategic direction. It’s time to dust off your goals for 2015. Review, recharge and get back in action to wrap up Q3 and generate a positive Q4. Work with your business coach to determine which goals that seemed promising last January will provide the best ROI now. Reliance on your own mental monologue will not provide the clarity required to move forward. Establish focused action steps and stay away from busywork. Learn how to manage for results while building your team for success.
©Jeannette Seibly, 2015
Jeannette Seibly has been a business advisor and facilitator for over 23 years; she guides the creation of new solutions for business challenges and is the author of over 300 articles and 4 books designed to help business leaders lead successfully. Check out her website: http://SeibCo.com or contact Jeannette at http://SeibCo.com/contact.