Not everyone who steps into leadership has years of experience in that area. New leaders are prone to making common mistakes while adjusting to the role. Here are three of the most common mistakes that new leaders make and how you can prevent them in your work.
Micromanaging
Many people assume that because they’ve been given a leadership position, that means that their team should work exactly as they would. After all, if their work style led to a promotion, that means that it’s what everyone should be following. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. What works for one person doesn’t always work for someone else. Everyone has their own method for completing their work, and as long as everything is getting done, it’s not a leaders job to tell someone else what their strategy should be. Not every employee has the same strengths and weaknesses and forcing everyone to adhere to one style limits idea sharing and room for debate. Micromanaging stifles growth and potential and may drive your employees away. Instead, get to know your employees better so you feel that you can trust them to pave their own path.
Hiring the wrong person for a position
You can ask all the right questions and check with every reference, but that doesn’t prevent you from sometimes hiring the wrong person for a position. Especially if you are new to hiring, you may feel that your hire is representative of you and therefore do anything to ensure their success, even if it’s clear that they aren’t a good fit. To help you ensure you’re hiring the best person for the job, ask yourself these questions during the process: What does the candidate need to be successful in this position? How is that success measured and how can I provide feedback? Being critical of your decisions will help you hire the right person in the first place, or realize that someone isn’t a good fit and let them go.
Wanting your employees to like you
Most people want others to like them; it’s a default position of the human condition. But, as a leader, your job is not to be liked. It’s to be respected and lead your team to success. In transitioning from a peer to a boss, most people fall into either being too permissive or overbearing. When you’re more focused on getting your team to like you, your judgement about their performance may be clouded, which then harms the company as a whole. Focus on being a great leader and support system for your team rather than being well-liked.