Leadership is a muscle that requires consistent training and development. While some people fall into leadership roles more naturally, no one is born ready to be a CEO. Many myth about leadership exist, and the reality of what it means to lead is often far from what new CEOs expect when they first take on the role. Great leaders learn how to reframe their thinking and carve out their leadership principles on their unique paths to becoming better leaders.
As the role of leader becomes less physically visible and the pressures on teams so varied, the ability to have internal certainty in who you are, where you’re going and how you’re getting there is a game-changer.
Facts about leadership
This is difficult when it’s so easy for new- and even seasoned- leaders to internalize the many leadership myths that still linger throughout our communities, workplace cultures and personal ideals. The demands of the job are 10x harder than they were before the pandemic, as people are even more likely to adopt performance-limiting assumptions, and therefore a damaging mindset, along with their promotion.
What are leadership myth?
If unrealistic ideals are left unchecked in your organization, you risk a disconnect between what people believe makes them a leader, and what it truly means to be one; especially in a post pandemic world which proven we can’t depend on a playbook or a one-size-fits-all approach. Lets look at few of the leadership myths:
Position determines leadership
A job title does not a leader make. Leadership skills can be developed in everyone, and leadership is something that everyone can do, no matter their position or job title. Someone can flex their leadership skills on a project, in a single meeting, conversation, or during a conflict situation. Leadership is a way of thinking and behaving, not a job title or position.
Leaders are flawless
A common leadership myth is that leaders must be infallible, with an innate ability to make flawless decisions. This assumption often leads to the notion that leaders must project unwavering strength. In reality, effective leadership is more nuanced.
At some point, every leader will make a decision that doesn’t quite turn out as planned. Great leaders, however, are resilient, adaptable, and open to change amid new information. When an organization operates at its best, it’s well understood that everyone is learning and improving together.
Leaders should hold others accountable
Great leaders do hold others accountable, but it’s not what they should do first. Leaders should hold themselves accountable. Accountability is where power and control meet responsibility- it’s the junction where leaders can either become autocratic or authentic. Guess which style yields the best results?
Leaders give orders
There is a myth that a leader’s role is to dictate orders, perpetuating a command-and-control mentality. Leadership requires action, and leaders are the ultimate decision-makers in a company. However, command-and-control leadership stifles creativity and discourages open communication.
A leader’s role is not just to give orders but to inspire, guide and facilitate the team’s success. By delegating and relinquishing the need for absolute control, leaders can tap into their teams’ diverse skills and perspectives.
Great leadership isn’t just about top-down communication of the strategy. It is also about listening to your team and creating space for them to share ideas, challenge thinking, and honestly discuss problems.
Leadership myth is only one methodology
There is no single “best way” to lead. Many great leaders and coaches have completely different leadership styles. Some people think that all great leaders have to be extroverted.
However, introverted leaders often excel by leveraging their listening skills to engage in thoughtful decision-making. Similarly, I’ve heard from many CEOs who have quickly realized the downsides of hiring a team of executives who think exactly like they do.
Leaders to share only good news
Some leaders think they must insulate their employees from bad news so business challenges don’t deflate the team. But when leaders shut off communication, the team makes up their own stories to fill in the gaps, and the leader ends up isolated.
As Jim Collins says, “Face the brutal facts.” Great leaders respect their team and win their hearts and minds through transparency, seeing them as partners in overcoming challenges. Transparent communication also creates shared accountability.
Leadership is solitary
While it may seem isolating at the top, leadership is not a solo pursuit. Great leaders intentionally select a diverse team of executives who think differently from them. They also consistently seek out CEO peers facing similar challenges.
Every leader has their biases based on their past decisions and life experiences. Hearing other perspectives helps leaders separate the facts from their personal stories or opinions about what is happening. This opens the channels for constructive feedback and course correction.
Spending time with other leaders outside your company creates room for honest conversations about strengths, weaknesses, and struggles. Moving beyond these leadership myths is a critical milestone for personal and organizational success. Embracing vulnerability, communicating transparently, and encouraging collaboration, while rejecting a command-and-control mentality, are key to becoming a more effective leader.
Great leaders know leadership is not a destination. It is a unique and dynamic journey that requires a lifetime commitment to continuous growth, adaptability and learning.
