Being a new leader is an exciting experience, but it can also be challenging. As a new leader, you have the opportunity to make a positive impact on your team and organization. However, it’s important to recognize that there are common mistakes that new leaders make. This blog will explore five mistakes that new leaders make and offer suggestions for how to avoid them.
- Picking winners and losers: One common mistake that new leaders make is picking winners and losers. This means that some team members are favored while others are not. According to an article published in Harvard Business Review, picking favorites can lead to resentment and a lack of trust among team members (Kerns, 2019). Instead of picking winners and losers, new leaders should strive to treat all team members equally and offer opportunities for growth and development to everyone.
- Promoting overconfidence: Another mistake that new leaders make is promoting overconfidence. This means that they may overestimate their own abilities and the abilities of their team. According to an article published in Forbes, overconfidence can lead to poor decision-making and a lack of accountability (Barker, 2019). Instead of promoting overconfidence, new leaders should encourage their team to have a growth mindset and to be open to feedback and learning opportunities.
- Being close-minded: New leaders may also fall into the trap of being close-minded. This means that they may resist new ideas or feedback from their team. According to an article published in Psychology Today, being close-minded can lead to missed opportunities and a lack of innovation (Raypole, 2021). Instead of being close-minded, new leaders should actively seek out new ideas and feedback from their team members.
- Ignoring your people: New leaders may also make the mistake of ignoring their people. This means that they may not take the time to understand the needs and concerns of their team members. According to an article published in The Balance Careers, ignoring your people can lead to a lack of trust and a decrease in morale (Heathfield, 2022). Instead of ignoring your people, new leaders should make an effort to get to know their team members and to create a supportive and inclusive work environmen
- Being too passive or assertive: Finally, new leaders may struggle with finding the right balance between being too passive or too assertive. According to an article published in Inc., being too passive can lead to a lack of direction and accountability, while being too assertive can lead to a lack of collaboration and team buy-in (Klein, 2021). Instead of being too passive or assertive, new leaders should strive to be firm but fair, and to communicate clearly with their team members.
Being a new leader is an exciting and challenging experience. By avoiding common mistakes such as picking winners and losers, promoting overconfidence, being close-minded, ignoring your people, and being too passive or assertive, new leaders can create a positive and productive work environment for their team. It’s important to remember that leadership is a journey, and that learning from mistakes is a valuable part of the process.
References:
Barker, E. (2019, March 21). 6 Ways Overconfidence Can Sabotage Your Leadership. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellevate/2019/03/21/6-ways-overconfidence-can-sabotage-your-leadership/?sh=63b276ab6d9a.
Heathfield, S. M. (2022, January 4). The Most Common Mistakes Made by New Managers. The Balance Careers. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-mistakes-new-managers-make-1917714.
Kerns, C. D. (2019, March 11). The High Cost of Picking Favorites on Your Team. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/03/the-high-cost-of-picking-favorites-on-your-team.
Klein, J. (2021, March 22). The Biggest Mistakes New Leaders Make (and How to Avoid Them). Inc. https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-biggest-mistakes-new-leaders-make-and-how-to-avoid-them.html.
Raypole, C. (2021, January 13). The Danger of Being Close-Minded. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-pacific-heart/202101/the-danger-being-close-minded.
