Effective leaders are not always born with that innate skill. To continually hone leadership skills, people must recognize the importance of always cultivating their trade. In addition to demonstrating honesty, integrity, and confidence in decision-making, successful leaders are aware enough to recognize the most common lies that leaders tell themselves while consciously committing to avoiding these pitfalls:
I CAN HANDLE ANYTHING ON MY OWN:
All great things are accomplished as a team effort and not as an individual triumph. Any effective leader should learn the imperative skill of recognizing the contributions of others in their path to success.
OTHERS DON’T REQUIRE PRAISE:
Related to the previous point, many leaders fail to recognize and praise their team members. However, when people do not get enough positive affirmation, their drive to succeed begins to be whittled away. Never discount the power of praise as a means of motivating others to keep up the good work.
IT’S NOT WORTH IT TO MAKE FRIENDS IN THE BUSINESS:
Many leaders shy away from cultivating friendships in their line of work, erroneously believing that this social interaction may result in awkward situations and unfair favoritism. However, encouraging personal relationships in the professional world actually shows signs of maturity and selflessness.
LISTENING IS MY STRENGTH:
Good leaders recognize the importance of leaning in and listening to their colleagues. What is truly becoming a lost skill still has tremendous value in any professional or personal situation. It is imperative that leaders listen with intent in order to get ahead and make others feel valued for their contributions.
CONFRONTING A PROBLEM IS NOT ALWAYS NECESSARY:
One of the most common mistakes even the best leader can make is to ignore situations believing that they will go away. Burying your head in the sand is never an effective solution. The only thing that this leads to is an escalation of the issue.
I AM NEVER WRONG:
As people in positions of power, it is easy for leaders to erroneously believe that they always know best. However, true leadership relies on the principles of inclusion while constantly evolving. Striving to continue growing by always questioning yourself is one of the most effective ways to nurture your emerging leadership skills.