“We all have blind-spots, but if we are willing to open our ears to feedback and our eyes to how others react to us, we can improve our impact as leaders ten-fold” ~Joe Contrera
People always ask me, “What can I do to increase my impact as a leader?”
That said, everyone has a few things they may need to tweak in order to be a more impactful leader. Why? Because we all have blind-spots that are giving us the exact opposite results of what we want.
I have a client who holds regular meetings with all of his leaders to update them on everything going on. Like clockwork about 3/4 of the way through each meeting, one of the leaders raises her hand and steps up into the pulpit to begin her ad nauseum sermon. She pontificates about everything she knows about the topic, regardless of whether it is her area of expertise or not.
If someone else’s ideas are on the table she will talk about why it’s wrong, why it won’t work, and then will attempt to unravel everything that was said to that point.
What she fails to realize is that as soon as she stands up to speak 80% of the folks in the room shut down, rolls their eyes, and grab their cell phones to check email or play Candy Crush. What she believes is that by sharing her vast knowledge people will recognize her as an intelligent, smart, and knowledgeable leader. The truth is they see her as an arrogant, self-promoting jackass.
She is getting the exact opposite result of what she wants and her impact as a leader is suffering greatly. What’s worse…she is completely blind to what she is doing.
Below is a list of 10 Things you can do to bring into focus a few blind-spots you may have that could be lowering your impact as a leader.
10 Actions To Increase Your Impact As A Leader:
- In a meeting if you are not presenting and you’re talking for more than 2 minutes straight – SHUT UP, SIT DOWN, & LISTEN!
- If you are not the subject matter expert and you are acting like one…reread the bold type in the previous action.
- Walk the floor and check-in with your people at least once a week regardless of how busy you think you are.
- Make sure you go out of your way to recognize at least 2 people per week on something they did well (be specific and make it about them and the positive impact on the team, the work, etc.)
- Make the decision that you are not an individual contributor…you are a leader so stop doing the work of your people and start influencing them to get it done.
- Delegate, let go, and trust your people to do the work, if they can’t, train them, move them, or cut them loose.
- Remember that if you’re not willing to be uncomfortable and learn how to be a better leader, you are out of integrity if you attempt to demand the same things of others.
- Stop talking and making suggestions and start listening and asking great questions!
- Hold yourself and your people accountable for their work , not with a bat, but with The Art of Leading Coaching, and Influencing Others™
- Understand the leadership is not a reward for performance … it is a calling! Want to learn more? Click here
Perfect list?
No! But if you implement just half of these ideas into your belief system about what it means to be a leader you will be taking the next step in significantly increasing your impact as a leader!
