5 Common Mistakes Leaders Make and How to Correct Them  

If you’re in a leadership position, you may not be doing as good a job as you think you are. A study in the journal American Psychologist found that leaders regularly self-report their effectiveness as higher than their effectiveness as seen by their subordinates or their supervisors. While you may think you’re doing a great job as a leader, your boss or your team may think otherwise. Here are a few things you could be doing that could cause more harm than good.

You’re Too Busy
If you’re too busy with project-related tasks, you may not be devoting the time necessary to be a good leader. This is often the plight of those who have been newly promoted; it can be tough to step away from the day-to-day tasks and into the bigger picture. This issue takes away from your effectiveness as a leader because you’re too deeply involved in projects and not available when the team needs you.

The fix: Take time. Transitioning from the cubicle to the manager’s office takes time. Work with your team to delegate some of your project work in order to devote time for more strategic tasks. Do you already have a go-to team member who you rely on for support? Let that person know you’ll be trusting him or her during your leadership transition and beyond. Now, you’ll have more time to dedicate to being strategic.

You Don’t Offer Support
Are you available to help when your employees need it? It can be easy to forget that as a leader, you are also a mentor and a coach. If you’re not supporting your team, they are likely operating in the dark and not able to work as well as they could.

The fix: Meet team needs. When assigning a task, great leaders ask employees what they need to succeed and are prepared to offer it. One team member may value regular check-ins, while another prefers to be left alone until the deadline. Learn these preferences of your team so that you can offer the support they need to do their best work.

You Don’t Teach
For new and existing team members, don’t take for granted that they know to approach every task. Perhaps your team is using a new or difficult technique or is working on a project that is particularly complex. In these situations, if you’re not sure your team is fully equipped to succeed, you won’t get the best result.

The fix: Offer knowledge. Great leaders take the time to teach employees (both new and old) the tools of the trade. Even if you’re feeling slammed and even annoyed (you think: that should have been simple!), offer your knowledge freely and openly when your team needs it. Even five minutes to explain a quick concept will be appreciated by your team members and pay dividends in productivity.

You Don’t Say Thank You (and Mean It)
Your team is literally working for your thanks. In 2015, 78% of workers said they would work harder if they were recognized. This doesn’t mean cold, hard cash. When a team member puts in a large amount of work without any words of thanks, he or she doesn’t feel appreciated. When a team member feels under-appreciated, he or she may be less motivated to perform well.

The fix: Give thanks early and often. It doesn’t take much to offer sincere thanks for someone’s good work. Rather than coveting your thanks for the “bigger fish,” dole out kind words whenever they are warranted. A well-appreciated team is a high-performing one.

You Don’t Say You Are Sorry
All people, even leaders, make mistakes. No one is too high up to apologize, though, in fact apologizing is a sign of great leadership. A thoughtful apology is an olive branch to an offended or hurt employee and serves to create a more positive work environment.

The fix: Own up. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, recognize it! As soon as you’ve made a big or small error, swallow your pride and apologize, and then make it right. Keep in mind that your apology must be genuine, not seeking to excuse or shift responsibility. You don’t lose credibility by admitting a mistake, but your reputation could suffer if you don’t manage it gracefully.

With your radar now attuned to these possible mistakes, you’ll be on track to develop as a much stronger leader with a strong team behind you.