Is it OK for leaders to fail?
When we think of leaders we don't often think of failures, but one of the hallmarks of the best leaders is knowing how to fail well. Every successful person is someone who has failed at something—and in some cases, many things—but without ever regarding themselves as a failure.
A primary reason why leaders fail is that they are poor self-leaders. They lack the self-awareness, motivation, empathy and accountability to succeed at the executive level. They can also overwork themselves and not take the time to care for themselves properly.
Highly efficient leaders often suffer from tunnel vision.
Rather than strategize or look at the bigger picture, many highly efficient leaders prefer to grind their way to success. This lack of strategy means they are often unable to achieve results despite their desire and effort.
- Lack of presence. This one's pretty straightforward but amazingly it's overlooked by a lot of leaders. ...
- Lack of direction. This is straight-up terrifying. ...
- Lack of transparency. ...
- Lack of authority. ...
- Lack of listening skills. ...
- Lack of faith.
We make mistakes all the time (everyone does). But the best people – the best leaders – learn from them. Great leaders also admit when they've made mistakes. Contrary to a widespread belief among managers, bosses, and leaders of all stripes, admitting your mistakes strengthens your position in so many ways.
- Not focusing on developing talent. ...
- Not giving regular feedback about performance. ...
- Not taking emotions into account. ...
- Managing conflict ineffectively. ...
- Not driving change. ...
- Not encouraging others to take risks. ...
- Misunderstanding motivation. ...
- Managing activities rather than leading people.
A weak leader focuses solely on getting the job done instead of using the job as a way to help their people develop new competencies and skills. It's an ineffective leader who keeps their people playing small without investing in them, whether it's through neglect or because they see others as a threat.
Leaders fail when they stop setting expectations and keeping track of everyone's progress. They fail when they lose a clear vision of their goals, and when they fail to drive the team so that everyone is delivering high-quality results.
Ineffective leaders create bad morale and hamper employee satisfaction and engagement. Goals may be unclear and productivity suffers. Demotivated and disgruntled employees, in turn, can impact customer satisfaction. The ripple effects can be significant.
It's okay to fail because it helps to shed light on what you want and where you're going. You reflect on life, developing new strategies to push through present-day obstacles, finding new ways to approach old problems.
Why do new leaders fail?
The major reasons for failure in the new job are:
52% fail to build teamwork with staff and peers. 33% are unclear about what their bosses expect. 25% don't have the required internal political savvy. 22% there's no process to assimilate new leaders into the role.