Leadership Habits

Get Unstuck

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When you are stuck or simply procrastinating, being overly focused on your inner psyche to justify the reasons why will keep you from doing what you need to do. It takes as much time, or more, to create excuses than to simply do the work! Become responsible for your own motivation instead of blaming your boss or employees for being uninspired.  To rejuvenate a project, uncover the source of an issue, or resolve an employee concern, use the steps in the eGuide “5 Simple Steps to Improve Your Results!”  https://seibco.com/coaching-report/ The mark of a true leader is doing what needs to be done in an effective manner, regardless of how you feel about wanting to do it. 

(c)Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013 

Eliminate the Guessing Game

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Do you know how to ask for what you want? Or do you expect your employees or vendors to simply know? Do you falsely believe you will know what you want when you see or read it? Eliminate the guessing game and take time to clarify the goal or outcomes you wish to achieve, in writing. By writing goals down, it’s easier to get everyone on the same page. Stay away from spelling out how to achieve outcomes. Share your outline and include others’ ideas before providing the details.

(c)Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013

What if …?

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Many times we don’t listen and ask good business questions. We fear others will become upset, and many times they do. Their emotion signals their attachment to what they’ve already spent time working on and how they think about it. However, not asking the “What if …?” questions can prevent an adequate project from becoming great, a poor ROI from being wildly successful, or an OK employee from becoming a top performer.

(c)Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013

Five Detrimental Leadership Habits

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Successful leaders develop as a result of good habits! Take the time to “clean up” poor business behaviors and attitudes before they derail your desired career direction.

Flavor of the month. Using jargon to manage others or projects does not make you sound knowledgeable. Many times terms used out of context simply gives your employees or business associates the impression you don’t know what you are talking about. Hire a business coach to help you effectively elicit the actions and results required.

Me-ism. Self-focused commitment on the numbers in your paycheck or procurement of perks (at the expense of others) does not create loyalty or desired results within your enterprise. Leaders who thrive make commitments to the organization, employees and people they serve (aka customers), first. They talk the talk, and walk the talk, creating win-win outcomes.

White lies. Trust is a decisive factor in whether or not others will follow your lead. Lies will eventually be uncovered and can be costly to your self-esteem and business opportunities. Those who fear the consequences of telling the truth should remember “your integrity is forever.” Talk with a trusted advisor on how to navigate sensitive issues to cause rewarding outcomes.

Self-Denial. Many leaders falsely believe they know themselves well. True self-awareness and knowledge of how others see you are important in creating a good reputation.  A true leader is always growing and learning from the inside out. Being clear and communicating clearly conveys your leadership abilities. Use qualified assessments and 360-degree tools to ensure valid and reliable information to support your professional development.

False Expectations. Honor business etiquette; it determines others’ respect of you. Return phone calls and come to meetings prepared and on time – these are two examples of unwritten business expectations. Explicit promises made to an applicant or employee also needs to be followed-through. Failure to do so can be costly, such as being denied an award or contract. As a busy person, do not rely upon your memory! Write down and review with the other person(s) to ensure promises are fulfilled.

Question: What challenges have you faced as a leader, or when following a leader? What did you do to overcome the issue? Leave a comment below ….

©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013

Jeannette Seibly delivers “straight talk with immediate results” to business owners and executives of $1MM to $30MM enterprises, creating dynamic results. You may contact her at JLSeibly@SeibCo.com for an initial free consultation.