What is the key to being able to build trust? In my opinion, there are many essential elements and not just one. In today’s fast-paced business world, having a range of trust elements is key. Minimizing mistakes new managers make will to show the team you trust them.
Leadership can be especially challenging for entrepreneurs. Balancing the need to run a business and the need to lead company personnel is quite a task.
Effective leader influence as an entrepreneur means that you can “make things happen,” instead of just “letting things happen.” Leader influence is required in many activities.
It is involved in a variety of situations and problems, from the very simple to the very complex. And many leadership mistakes can quickly destroy that influence.
Leaders must influence others to achieve goals, and they must gain the respect of followers to influence them. This is no easy task, but if you want to have the respect of your followers, you must become an influential and trusted leader.
Related: Looking for Battle Tested, Effective Leadership Qualities?
Leaders use influence and collaborative skills to solve problems. They do this by selecting one course of action from several possible alternatives.
Almost any decision involves some conflicts or dissatisfaction. The difficult part is to pick one solution where the positive outcome can outweigh possible losses.
To many, avoiding decisions often seems to be the easiest approach. Influencing decisions and accepting the consequences is the only way to stay in control of your time, your success, and your business.
The most valuable teamwork commodity is trust, hands down in my opinion.
Background
Team trust is a must in today’s hyper-competitive, ultra-connected business environment. Everyone wants to do business with people they trust. The one constant that all executives seek for their organization is a competitive advantage with their team.
As we noted on many occasions, team trust is gained through two interlaced faculties: good intent and competence.
Here are 15 mistakes of leader influence Digital Spark Marketing uses with clients to improve their ability to get the best leadership influence skills:
Hesitant with action
It is critical that you learn the importance of the start, whatever you have been postponing. Just do it, as Nike likes to tell its customers and potential customers. If you wait for the perfect time to start, it will never happen, and you will have accomplished nothing.
Great leaders don’t work in existing systems. They change the systems to give them what they want. And they don’t delay the start.
They come up with new options for jobs, projects, and professional development that their bosses hadn’t even thought of. They see an opportunity coming their way before most of the rest of us have even looked up from our laptops. They don’t hesitate to seize the initiative or get into action, do they?
Lacking integrity
Nothing can ruin your influence and respect faster than a lack of integrity. Integrity, however, is not just avoiding unethical choices and situations. Integrity is intentionally molding a culture of values and service.
Lacking team trust
The reason team trust is so critical today is that we’re no longer thinking just regarding performance. We must think regarding relationships.
Business is a people activity. People like to do business with people they know, like, and trust. Ones with whom they have relationships are at the top of the desirable business option list.
The stronger the relationships with your customers, the greater will be their trust and loyalty in your business. So it is very logical for businesses to put a priority on building customer relationships.
Not communicating effectively
Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful team. In today’s fast-paced business world, having a range of communication channels available such as phone, e-mail, instant messaging, fax, etc. is key. It means maximizing your ability to communicate effectively with each other.
Communication is the close brother of chemistry. In any team, communication is crucial to building a sense of camaraderie among members. The manner of communication ‘how freely and frequently team members communicate’ determines the effectiveness of the team.
Put simply, the more freely you talk to your fellow team members, the more comfortable you are in sharing insights and ideas. This is just one major reason why modern businesses emphasize communication and collaboration tools.
Not being transparent
Transparency is another competency that should come naturally. So many team members have trouble coming to terms with what it means.
People are smart. They know when you’re up front or when they are told a mistruth. If honesty is the best policy, they’ll appreciate and admire you more when you admit to a mistake. This is opposed to playing games or even worse, avoiding the topic altogether.
Don’t try to hide or cover up your errors. Address the issue directly, explain how you will handle it, and share what steps are being taken. Steps taken to prevent the errors from occurring in the future.
Not being a good listener
Hear and remember the ‘remarkable’ for the next discussion.
The most important part of communication is listening. Listening is not just a way to find things out. It’s also a sign of respect.
So send the message that your conversation partner is valuable. Listen as you mean it. Demonstrate that you’re listening. Paraphrase, re-state and react to what you hear. Ask for clarification. Get involved.
Not accountable
Teams accept responsibility as individuals and as a team. They don’t blame one another for team mistakes and failures. No one should spend any time, useless time, in personal justifications.
They should celebrate their successes together and recognize special performances. This includes special contributions that each team member makes to the total work of the team.
Not learning from others
Observing and learning from those around you makes you stronger, better. Never fail to see its value.
Your peers, as well as competitors, can usually teach you more than your friends. Let them.
Learn from them. To be a great leader, you need to have a strong will and an even stronger stomach.
You need to remind yourself that your job isn’t to make everyone happy. Rather, it is to improve the organization as a whole.
Good leaders are constantly trying to improve and surround themselves with the ablest people they can find. They look squarely at their own mistakes and deficiencies. And they ask frankly what skills they and the company will need in the future.
And because of this, they can move forward with confidence that’s grounded in the facts. It is not built on fantasies about their talent.
Employing a style outside your ‘comfort’ zone
One of the most important things you can do as a leader in cultivating self-awareness. Knowing your leadership styles will help you to be more intentional. That is, being intentional about using them well and managing their shortcomings. Do you lead with expertise? Charisma? Caring?
Armed with this awareness, you can leverage your unique styles to become more influential and inspire others. Avoid styles that are outside your comfort zone at all costs.
Lacking persistence
Persistence is key. Always keep up the effort as you will never know how close to success you may be.
Think about your energy. It’s not just about what you like best, but about what feeds you and what depletes you. And who.
Do what you can to increase the good stuff and decrease the bad. You just need to realize you have the power to accomplish it. Much more than you may have imagined.
Eliminate whatever it is in your life that’s draining you, and replace it with something that inspires you. This will help your persistence.
Not investing in yourself
Leaders invest in continuous learning. Grow your expertise. The more you know, the more you can help. The greater your competence, the more others will respect you and the effort you made to learn about what they do.
Always work hard at being a little better than you were the day before. Continuous learning is one of the most important attributes in the work and personal environment.
Great leaders know that every step they take, every decision they make, matters in the end. They know they must strategize carefully, and then act decisively.
They know they must think ahead. That means not just to their next step, but to the many steps after it.
Worrying about mistakes and failure
No matter how confident someone may seem, everyone is afraid of failing. All of us are afraid of screwing up or afraid of looking stupid.
But great leaders know that everyone they interact with is also afraid.
These people are successful because they act in the face of fear. They go after what they believe, seek change and, ultimately, make a difference.
They also believe they can take a risk because even if they fail, they’ll be able to learn from it and overcome it.
Their fear doesn’t hold them back. Instead, it springs them into action. They know that not stretching themselves is worse than failing.
Mistakes new managers make … not being a coach and advocate
One of the leader’s most important roles is being a coach and advocate. Help people be successful. Focus on developing leadership skills in your team. Be a resource, a sounding board, a safe place to talk.
If you want the people you lead to respect you, they need to know you are on their side. Advocate for them. Help them get the promotion they’ve been hoping for. Leverage your influence on their behalf.
Lacking enthusiasm and passion
Always show your enthusiasm and passion for what you are doing. To do that, you must find those things that you love.
Follow the passion. Passion is what gives you the strength to overcome the obstacles to everyday tasks. Passion is power. It is what keeps you going when everyone else gets tired and gives up.
Short term focus
A leader’s job is to interact with the future on behalf of constituents. Spend time doing things that only you can do, delegating other important areas to competent team members.
Establish a vision, and keep your gaze focused on the overall goal. Resist the temptation to spend too much time-solving day to day problems. If they cost you progress toward your vision, resist them.
The bottom line
Avoid these leadership mistakes and think ahead for your greatest leadership advantages.
Need some help in capturing more improvements for your staff’s leadership, teamwork, and collaboration? Creative ideas in running or facilitating a team or leadership workshop?
Call today for a FREE consultation or a FREE quote. Learn about some options to scope your job.
Call Mike at 607-725-8240.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new ideas.
When things are not what you want them to be, what’s most important is your next step. Call today.
Test. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Are you devoting enough energy innovating your social media strategy?
Do you have a lesson about making your advertising better you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add to the section below?
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way. Call us for a free quote today. You will be amazed how reasonable we will be.
More leadership material from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
Build an Effective Team by Being a Talent Hound
Success Enablers of Highly Creative Leaders
Secrets to Becoming a Remarkably Mindful Leader
Leadership Characteristics That Improve Influence |