In the realm of leadership, even well-meaning actions can have unintended consequences, particularly when it comes to their impact on the performance and morale of proficient employees. Seemingly innocuous behaviors and decisions made by leaders can slowly erode the enthusiasm and effectiveness of their teams.
To navigate this delicate balance, leaders must gain a deeper understanding of how their actions might be perceived by their team members. Here, 20 Forbes Business Council members share some common yet often overlooked ways in which leaders inadvertently hinder the potential of their talented employees and how to reverse negative effects.
1. Fixing Problems Immediately
While it might seem helpful, it can inadvertently send a message that the leader doesn’t trust the employee’s ability to handle the situation, undermining their self-confidence. To reverse this, leaders should ask if the employee is seeking a solution or just needs to be heard, which fosters a sense of trust and respect. – Elie Y. Katz, National Retail Solutions (NRS)
2. Undervaluing Employee Contributions
Leaders can have a negative effect by undervaluing employee contributions, leading to demotivation. To reverse this, leaders should actively acknowledge and appreciate their employees’ efforts, offer constructive feedback and create opportunities for growth and recognition. – Salvador Ordorica, The Spanish Group LLC
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3. Mishandling Difficult Conversations
When leaders shy away from addressing conflicts or providing constructive criticism, it can hinder employee growth and lead to unresolved problems. To reverse the negative effect, leaders should prioritize learning how to lead difficult conversations and deal with the emotions that arise. – René Janssen, Lepaya
4. Micromanaging
Micromanagement can inadvertently harm good employees, stifling creativity and reducing morale. Leaders can reverse this by trusting their team’s abilities, providing clear expectations and then stepping back. Regular feedback and acknowledging good work can also promote confidence and job satisfaction, fostering a positive, high-performing work environment. – Jeremy Bradley-Silverio Donato, Zama
5. Not Allowing Input
Leaders who do not allow others to be heard or share input create a negative environment. Leaders should collaborate with their employees and allow autonomy, not operate in silos. – Paul Flick, Premium Service Brands
6. Failing To Recognize Employee Efforts
Good employees need to feel like they are making a difference through their efforts to ensure they feel heard and see a promising future. Remember to recognize individuals and teams for their efforts—it’s a simple thing to do and it can make all the difference in creating a positive work culture. – Sujatha Ramanujan, Luminate
7. Not Sharing Anything Personal
Founders often make the mistake of not sharing anything personal with their team. They want to be taken seriously as a boss and end up only talking about work. However, being all work all the time can make it difficult for your staff to understand your views or to understand the “why” behind the work your business does. Getting a bit more personal can help your team relate better to both you and your cause. – James Clift, Durable
8. Letting Your Negativity Rub Off On Others
As leaders, we set the tone for the day. There is always pressure to make the best possible decisions, which can lead to negative thoughts creeping in. When we show up to the office with a head full of negative thoughts, it affects others at the company. I try to use my commute to reframe negative thoughts into bite-sized tasks I can handle, which helps me maintain a positive attitude. – Kevin Stevick, Steel Craft Corp.
9. Directing Actions Without Listening
Focus on listening and enabling instead of talking and directing. Oftentimes, it’s easier to jump in on a conversation to drive the next action but these are learning moments for the next generation of leaders. Taking the time to pause and letting employees drive solutions to problems are great ways to unlock learning, creativity and trust toward employees handling bigger initiatives. – Pratik Bhadra, Netcore Cloud
10. Failing To Make Connections
You must like people to lead people. When connecting with employees, leaders must ensure their feedback has substance and authenticity. Employees can feel when a leader actually has their best interest in mind, even when hearing tough feedback, if the interaction is genuine. The bottom line is to make sure interactions have purpose and that the true goal is to support and connect with your employees. – Nicole Sohn, Journey Discover Center
11. Not Putting Yourself In Your Employee’s Shoes
Leaders often forget that each person is an individual that understands things differently. They often communicate from their point of view and miss out on putting themselves in other people’s shoes. In that case, they should build personal relationships and take care of the needs of others. Being open-minded and communicating very clearly, without ego, makes a huge difference. – Thomas Gal, SichtbarerWerden.de
12. Not Leading By Example
Even in larger organizations, leadership modeling is critical. Hardworking employees with good intentions can easily be demotivated if they see their leaders committing less to the organization’s values and objectives than they are. Reversing that effect is simple: Make sure to lead by example. A good leader should be setting the standard through their actions. – Jason Foodman, Rosy Salon Software
13. Making Too Many Changes
Making changes too fast, including restructuring, shifting priorities and goals and sudden staffing changes can create instability, stress and confusion. Leaders must be transparent and honest, communicate clearly and provide tangible support to counteract toxicity. This will help provide safety and stability in the work environment. – Sarah Louden, Total Health
14. Having A Lack Of Trust In Employee Decisions
Lack of trust in decision making often leads to a lack of confidence and disengagement. To avoid this, implement an open-door policy of collaboration. Let them know that you trust them to make thoughtful decisions. If they need advice, make sure they know they can come to you and encourage them to ask for help when they’re not confident. – Jared Yellin, Project 10K
15. Setting Unrealistic Goals
If leaders set goals or deadlines that aren’t achievable for their employees, it can cause them to be stressed and overwhelmed, resulting in a decrease in motivation and morale. It is particularly difficult when expectations aren’t communicated clearly or when they change frequently without warning. Schedule weekly or monthly department meetings to discuss workloads and set goals for the quarter. – Neha Naik, RecruitGyan
16. Being Too Hard On Employees
Often, leaders are moving so quickly that they are hard on work while also being hard on their people. An exceptional leader should always be hard on work but good to their people. This means having a high standard for the output of your company and your employees but understanding that to empower someone to do their best work, you need to make them feel good. – Mykie Stiller, Voss Coaching Co.
17. Instructing Without Clarity
When leaders provide instructions without clear directions, this means good employees are only told what to do without context or the autonomy to come up with solutions toward a common goal themselves. These employees are then left to focus on task-based work that might not make sense and they end up losing track of the bigger picture. Be clear when giving instructions to your employees. – Yvette Yanne, Appnovation
18. Not Being Approachable
Employers, managers and frontline leaders are often disciplinarians, not cheerleaders. Leaders have to focus on the team and play a role in the team. Instead of pushing team members to the fire, they must lead them to it—and in so doing, this builds sustainable trust. This ensures their door is always open. – Dr. Elange Nathan, Elange Education Systems
19. Not Providing Regular Or Constructive Feedback
This lack of communication can lead to a decrease in productivity. To reverse this effect, leaders should prioritize open and honest communication with their employees. They should regularly provide both positive and constructive feedback. – Omar Alarian, Alarian Gear
20. Having Decision Paralysis
The inability to be decisive can corrode confidence in your leadership, as it will decrease your team’s belief in your ability to lead. To resolve this, the solution is to be more decisive. Consult with staff, take two or three of the best ideas, make a decision and then take action to enhance their confidence. – Alexander Chandler, Alexander Advisory Group
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