High Achievers will often find themselves promoted into leadership positions, in many cases they are fast trackers. In an interesting twist, their need for achievement can be their undoing.
Making the transition from individual achiever to exceptional leader requires a new frame where the leader gets more satisfaction achieving results through the work of others instead of their own accomplishments.
Here are some of the fatal flaws that can keep a high achiever from being a great leader:
1. Competing with Subordinates – High acheivers are quite bright and therefore may actually compete with their employees, comparing themselves to the employees, belittling the employees or making all the decisions themselves. Remember that being a great leader means getting satisfaction from your team generating the great results and not you personally.
2. Taking away initiative – When an employee brings a project or idea to a high achiever they often cannot help themselves in wanting to add something extra, thinking it will improve the project. “That’s a great idea, and you know what would make it even better?” What the leader gains in terms of improving the quality of the suggestion is taken away by stipping away the ownership and commitment that the employee had in the idea to begin with. Try stopping at “That’s a great idea.” and let the employee run with it.
3. Belittling Comments – As high achievers it can be tempting to make jokes and subtle put downs, thinking that we are being funny. You have to ask yourself, how does teasing the other person help make them more productive? The result instead is that the team becomes demotivated and you as the leader suffer as performance drops off. Instead be a positive influence on your team and watch their morale and attitude improve. They will work harder to make you look good and then you’ll be ready for your next promotion.
Now a little information on the Secrets of Success Seminar. This is a brand new seminar – if you have attended one of my seminars in the past, you will want to attend this one with all new material designed to help you reach your full potential. We’ll be looking at the latest tools and techniques to help you get to the next level. If you are feeling stale, stagnant or stuck, come on out for the evening seminar at the Caboto Club. It’s 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM on Wednesday, November 19th.
You can also call my office at 1-866-700-9043.
