Eight Hazardous Leadership Mistakes - Gladiator Leadership & Coaching

Unfortunately, as we all know, there is no such thing as a perfect leader. Just watch the nightly news and you will see and hear about leaders around the world who have made Leadership mistakes! {C: I’m a BIG believer that if these leaders reflected more and had an executive coach they would be more aware to their blind spots. I am super excited about this topic and my upcoming book! Stay tuned!

If you are in need of speaker, trainer or coach for you business, school or event please let me know!

Over-analyzation: The leader requires too much data to act. Staff see you as not able to make decisions in a decisive manner. This trait can lead to some very bad consequences for a leader. One of them being staff will eventually go to someone else who is able to make the big decisions. Your credibility will also suffer. If you find yourself having this trait make sure to obviously make decisions during emergencies very quickly, but with decisions where you have more time simply let staff know that you are a leader that make “data based decisions” and that you will review the data with your team and make a decision as soon as possible. When was a time you over analyzed a situation?
Impulsivity: The leader makes decisions too quickly before thinking through all the variables. This trait is just the opposite of over analyzation. Like all these traits sometimes they are hard wired into your DNA and you have to make an effort to be very conscious and aware. A coach can help bring this awareness to the surface! Slowing down and gathering more data is the key to helping the hazardous trait. When was a time you were impulsive?

Invulnerability: The leader believes it won’t happen to me and that things will always go their way. This trait comes to the survace often times when a leader has accomplished some significant milestone or had a recent success. I cannot stress enough that if have a feeling of “invulnerability” as a leader you to re-evaluate your thinking. Leader must know that they are very vulnerable because they are often time in a very public position and their words and actions can and will be “sliced and diced.” When was the last time you had an awareness of feeling invulnerable? Have you noticed it in others?

Macho/ EGO/ Arrogant: The leader believes that they can do and say anything they want without consequences. They can also deep down believe they are better than others. They feel they are smarter, more articulate, better looking, better trained… the list can go on and on. Younger leaders can have this trait early in their career. If not addressed and coached early these leaders may burn bridges with more veteran leaders because they do not value and/or are not aware of the experience, knowledge and the battles they have fought during a career span. Have you every shown this trait? Have you ever seen someone show this trait?

Resignation: The leader believes and articulates frequently to staff that the odds are stacked against them. Giving staff a sense of hopelessness creates low-moral and staff engagement to name a few. This trait can be found in more veteran leaders who have been in un-healthy systems or organizations. Language use is usually the first indicator of this trait. You may hear or say: the odds are stacked against us, that will never work here, we can’t…, etc. If you are a leader who uses this kind of language you will lose credibility as a leader and your staff may not buy into what you have to offer as a leader. Have you ever shown this trait? When?

Fear: The leader is afraid to make a leadership move (real conversation, staffing moves, etc.) for fear of the consequences from a group or individual. We are all human and fear can manifest itself in all of us. New leaders are sometimes afraid of making that first big decision and more veteran leaders in unhealthy systems or organizations may have this trait as a result of where they are in their career. Have you ever shown fear as a leader?

Lack of awareness: The leader does not have awareness of: systems, connections, influence, power of relationships, blind spots (listening, micro-managing, language, does not honor previous work & experience, humor, talks more than listens, body language, interrupting, etc.) roles, differing perspectives, etc.

Over, Under, Miss-Communicates: The leader shares sensitive confidential information to staff on lower levels of the organizational chart creating uncertainty, fear, rumors, gossip etc.

The leader does not communicate enough.
The leader chooses language that escalates situations, staff, etc.
The leader’s vision, messaging is inconsistent and cannot be communicated effectively from leader to leader.