When it comes to leadership it’s important to project confidence and competence in order to earn the respect and trust of your employees. However, some leaders inadvertently project an image of incompetence due to certain behaviors and attitudes.
Here are some common behaviors that can make a leader appear incompetent and offer strategies for avoiding them.
Self-Obsessed: Leaders who are overly focused on their own needs and desires can come across as self-absorbed and disconnected. To avoid this, try to regularly check in with team members and show a genuine interest in their needs and concerns.
Think They Are Always Right: Leaders who are overly confident in their own abilities and opinions may come across as arrogant or unwilling to consider other perspectives. To avoid this, be open to feedback and ideas from your team, and be willing to listen and learn from others.
Don’t Support Their Team: Leaders who fail to provide support and resources to their team may come across as unsupportive and uncaring. To avoid this, make sure to provide the resources and support your team needs to succeed, and be available to provide guidance and assistance when needed.
Absentee Leadership: Leaders who are frequently absent or disengaged from their team may come across as disinterested or lacking in commitment. To avoid this, make an effort to regularly communicate with and be present for your team.
Creates Silos: Leaders who fail to foster communication and collaboration within their team may inadvertently create silos. To avoid this, encourage open communication and collaboration and make an effort to facilitate connections and interactions between team members. By creating a cohesive and collaborative team environment, you can avoid creating silos and project competence as a leader.
In conclusion, incompetence in leadership is often the result of a lack of awareness or understanding of one’s own limitations and the needs of their team.
Lead From Within: To avoid incompetence in leadership, it’s important for leaders to be self-aware and willing to continuously learn and improve.
#1 N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.