As a leadership coach, I often work with clients who are struggling to effectively lead their teams. While every situation is unique, there are certain habits and behaviors that I consistently see getting in the way of effective leadership.
Here are 10 things that leaders should stop doing immediately in order to become more effective:
Stop not setting goals: Clearly defined goals help to focus effort and provide a sense of purpose and direction.
Stop setting unclear expectations: Make sure that your employees understand exactly what is expected of them and how their work fits into the larger goals of the organization.
Stop relying on open door policy to facilitate communication: Don’t assume that an open-door policy alone will encourage your employees to share ideas or address problems. Instead, make an effort to actively listen to and communicate.
Stop micromanaging: Trust your employees to do their jobs and give them the autonomy they need to thrive.
Stop having unnecessary rules: Don’t create unnecessary rules or processes that don’t add value.
Stop failing to communicate clearly: Make sure that your employees understand your vision and goals, and provide regular feedback to help them grow.
Stop having unproductive meetings: Make sure that your meetings have a clear purpose and agenda, and only invite the necessary people.
Stop focusing on the wrong things: Make sure that you’re prioritizing the most important tasks and not getting bogged down in the details.
Stop being inflexible: Be open to new ideas and approaches, and be willing to pivot when necessary.
Stop refusing to delegate: Delegating tasks allows you to focus on what you do best, and it also gives employees the opportunity to grow and develop their skills.
Lead From Within: Leaders must stop doing the things that sabotage their employees’ success and start doing the things that support and enable it.
#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.