3 mistakes leaders should avoid right now
We all make mistakes. Whether you’re a leader or working your way up from the bottom, we’ve all come to realize the wrong choices that we’ve made from time to time. Mistakes are a great way to teach yourself some things, but there are some mistakes it’s nice to avoid. Right now is a difficult time for people all over the world, and even if your team is excelling during this work from home period, it’s a good time to focus on things you could be doing better. Here are three mistakes you don’t want to make…
Trying to do everything: You’re not a company of one. Trying to do much isn’t going to work out. There’s a reason you have a team, and that’s to take things off of your plate. Now may be a strange time to be a leader, but you’ve got to rely on the team you’ve built. If you’re lacking confidence in your team, then don’t have the right team. Find a staff that you trust and let them go to work. When you have the right pieces in place, you’ll find it easier to let go. This may be especially hard to do right now if you tend to micromanage even when you’re in the office.
Not communicating well: Does your team know you well? The better your relationship is with your staff, the easier it is to trust each other. And once you’ve built that trust, keep it strong. You may find it hard to rebuild it if it’s lost. Staying in touch isn’t always easy in a normal office situation. But right now, with staff all over the place, it has to be WAY more difficult. Whether it’s a call or a text or an email, keep tabs on each other. Make sure everyone is doing okay during this current period of crisis that we’re all dealing with. A boss who cares is a boss that employees will trust.
Looking out for #1: We live in a “me first” world. That’s just the way it is (cue up the Bruce Hornsby). Too many people are looking out for #1. This isn’t a great mindset for a leader. Think about what’s good for your members and your staff. Remember, everyone is going through a period of new experiences. We’ve never been in a situation like this before. Keep your focus on that and your members and employees will remember it for a long time.
