Ever noticed how many leaders start out similar? They have similar education, talent and ability. What makes some succeed and others fail? Is there a secret that sets them apart?
A recent study examined the careers of hundreds of leaders. Those who climbed their career ladder successfully were compared to those whose climb was fraught with failure and despair. The study illustrated 6 factors shared by leaders who failed repeatedly. Look at these, then examine your personal working style. If you share these problems, I challenge you to change while you still can.
- Difficulty in leading staff. Failed leaders ignored supposedly minor difficulties allowing them to grow. The small problems grew into major problems that caused their downfall.
- Difficulty with change. Leaders relied on past success or former days and refused to make the leap to the future. They resisted new ideas.
- Difficulty with following through on assignments. These Leaders never checked up, didn’t have a bring-forward system and left a trail of tasks undone.
- Poor treatment of staff. The leader put staff down, didn’t involve them in decision making and stepped on others on the way up the corporate ladder. The ‘know it all’ made all other staff feel insecure.
- Dependent on the status quo. This Leader was insecure. He tried to stay with the same boss, division or the same job within the company. He didn’t branch out and innovate.
- Disagreement with the Boss or Board. This individual knew it all and was unwilling to learn to change or adapt to a new style. He rejected accountability and responsibility.
Nothing is more tragic than watching an individual who runs and runs with an excess of activity, but shows no accomplishment. Look at your work today. You put in a specific number of hours at work. What did you accomplish for God’s Kingdom?
Leadership is serving God though serving your Boss, staff and associates.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com