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10 Worst Habits that Every Leader Should Avoid

“You cannot change your future; but you can change your habits, and surely your habits.

Dr. Paras
Dr. Paras
Feb 18, 2022
10 Worst Habits that Every Leader Should Avoid

“You cannot change your future; but you can change your habits, and surely your habits…will change your future.” – Dr Abdul Kalam

What is leadership?

An individual's ability to inspire and guide followers or other members of an organization is known as leadership. Individuals with these abilities can advance to executive management or C-level positions in business, such as CEO, CIO, or president.

Corporate leaders aren't characterized by the scale of the businesses they run or whether or not the companies they oversee are publicly traded. A corporate leader can be distinguished by the fact that he created the company or that he pays equal attention to both the community and the business.

It takes many excellent skills to establish and operate a company or organization. Great leaders quickly learn and embrace techniques that help them stay on top of their to-do lists, keep their people motivated, set visionary goals, and balance their personal and professional lives. However, being a great leader entails more than just establishing excellent habits — it also entails avoiding bad ones.

Leadership competency

The abilities and actions that contribute to outstanding performance are known as leadership competencies. Organizations may better identify and train their next generation of leaders by employing a competency-based approach to leadership. Future business trends and strategies, on the other hand, should stimulate the development of new leadership skills. While some leadership skills are required of all businesses, to gain a competitive advantage, a company needs to identify which leadership characteristics are unique to it.

Every corporate leader should have the goal of leading by example. Team members look up to their leader and draw clues from how they handle other employees and the crisis. As a result, leaders must exercise extreme caution when modeling the behaviors they want their employees to exhibit.

Too frequently, CEOs demonstrate a harmful habit to their employees, only to copy it to the company's disadvantage.

What is the key to achieving success?

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. There isn't a magic recipe. The top leaders in any area possess a few fundamental leadership attributes. If you find any issues in coping with your professional life problems, you can opt for life coaching or see an NLP practitioner. Some of these practices help identify the problem and become a better leader. 

Persistence in the face of setbacks and adversity accounts for a large part of success. When things don't go as planned, the world's most successful people have an extraordinary capacity to re-calibrate and bounce back. With a bit of luck thrown in for good measure, you'll discover the "secret" to success is quite simple. (However, keep in mind that simple does not necessarily imply easy.

Aside from the typical leadership traits that successful people possess, there are ten worst habits that every leader should avoid. Let us understand what they are and why to avoid them on the road to success.

1. Do not ignore your team's needs 

Just because you are the leader doesn't mean what you need is what your team wants. Being a leader is all about understanding your team. Understanding what inspires them, what they enjoy, and their strengths and shortcomings is the first step for successful leaders.

2. Do not think you know everything

Do not be a know-it-all boss. Do not think you know everything and your team doesn't. Asking doubts and seeking guidance should become a habit. Successful leaders are aware of the age-old adage that "knowledge is found in a multitude of advisers." They glean as much knowledge as they can from individuals who have been there and done that.

They learn via articles, podcasts, and opportunities to network with other leaders.

3. Do not refrain from seeking knowledge

Do not forget that you learn more when you want to. Do not let your ego come between you to learn from your team. The successful purposefully seek out a range of mentors, regardless of their stage in their career – entry-level employee, manager, or executive.

They recognize that they cannot reach their full potential on their own. With a mentor/coach, you'll go further and faster!

They are also inclined to avoid feedback. Leaders must hear from their team members and coworkers to achieve long-term achievements. Without continuous and frequent input, this isn't easy to do. Leaders must ask for feedback on areas to improve consistently to set an example for others both inside and outside their organization. This permits leaders to hear information they may not want to hear, which is what they want to hear.

4. Don't overlook spiritual, mental, and physical well-being

Being a leader doesn't mean you should only work or expect work from your team. Being a leader also implies being a better human. As a human, we need to understand that spirituality, a healthy mind, and body are the pillars of productivity. So, encouraging yourself and your juniors to grow apart from work is also essential. If they care for themselves, they will take care of your work in a better manner.

5. Do not define success solely in terms of work and business

Successful leaders understand that when they (and their employees) are invested in something bigger than themselves, they thrive. Of course, they want their companies to be successful and profitable. However, they see this as part of a bigger mission of adding value and resolving issues. The importance of self-care cannot be overstated.

Participating in meaningful group activities allows you to think about things other than yourself and your immediate needs. So rather than completing all the work on your own and not letting your teammates be a part of the success, you should try and include them in important tasks too. With this, you will are getting the work done, but you are also encouraging inclusiveness and motivating your team to do better.

6. Do not refrain from expressing gratitude

Do not be a self-absorbed boss. Regardless of their position, successful leaders treat everyone with respect, from team members to suppliers to Uber drivers, and appreciate the contributions of others. It is definitive that those who don't express gratitude cannot make a good leader, especially for longer durations. 

7. Do not step back from being supportive when needed 

Do not be a leader who doesn't contribute to the team's growth. Strong leaders have a generous spirit and genuinely want others to succeed. Everyone needs a helping hand when it comes to launching a business. So a good leader should always be up for helping others.

8. Do not show your rage or resentment

Don't be a cruel boss who yells at his team for being late or not meeting targets. When people fail them, successful leaders aren't in denial. They are aware of the anguish and are looking for solutions to their disagreements.

They deliberately let go and don't take life or situations personally because they understand the importance of growth, forward mobility, and forgiveness. 

You cannot be a good leader by being bad to someone in your team. Encouraging resentment and rage is very unhealthy for an environment. A good leader would always try to understand the other person and even if he doesn't agree with his teammates, he would make them understand in a better way. Leading a team doesn't mean being rude to everyone who works under you. 

9. Do not lie, manipulate, or cheat your team

Please don't treat your team/ employees as a doormat and mistreat them. Success is built on a foundation of integrity. Top leaders continuously influence others as role models. They understand that a lack of honesty jeopardizes their business and prospects for success. It also consumes a lot of energy, which can be invested in better areas and activities. 

10. Do not expect perfection 

Don't think that if a person is working under you, they need to be perfect in everything they do. Successful leaders cultivate positive attitudes and optimism. They have high expectations, work hard, and learn and grow.

They aim to continue to improve as their company grows as they listen to and communicate with their consumers and team members. They are aware that they are not flawless and may learn from their mistakes and losses.

So now we know that unlearning is more important than learning. If you're a leader who wants to enhance their leadership competency or if you have any such habit that you might want to get rid of, we're here to assist you with it. Tap on the link to get rid of such practices, https://www.matrrix.in/.

You can join our course and get on a journey to self-improvement with the Executive coaching programs with Matrrix.

Dr. Paras

WRITTEN BY

Dr. Paras

ICF-certified (Master Certified Coach) and ESIA -Coach Supervisor Dr. Paras, and Co-Founder of Dr Paras Wellness Pvt. Ltd. with brand Matrrix has been focused towards initiating change and transformation in people. As a certified Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) Master Practitioner and Mindfulness Coach, he brings a fresh approach towards learning the psychology of one’s thinking and behavior patterns. In his 18 years’ journey, he has trained, coached and mentored over 1.5 lakh individuals while certifying over 240 coaches. The leadership development programs of Matrrix have honed over hundreds of professionals while resolving workplace issues and ensuring higher ROI for firms.

Dr. Paras uses the power of coaching, counseling and positive psychology frameworks to resolve organizational issues, manage internal conflicts, and accelerate business growth. His programs for professional certifications in NLP, Mindfulness, Counseling, Coaching, and more have solidified his name as a transformation coach. Dr. Paras is also the founder of the Iinner Universe Education Foundation that runs Tava-Mitram (not-for-profit) to improve emotional wellness. He is also an avid blogger and social media enthusiast who loves keeping in touch with his international audience.

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