Debunking Leadership Myths
Businesses, no matter what industry they operate in, need more than their customers to survive. They need intelligent and skilled business owners who know what they are doing, employees with the talent to execute operations and fulfill the company’s visions, and leaders who know how to guide and spearhead a team toward achieving every business goal. But today, we are going to focus on the importance of leaders.
With their responsibility of being at the forefront of achieving the company’s goal, it is evident that leaders are vital keys to the success of each business. Their position allows them to inspire, manage, develop, and influence several groups of people, making their role critical. But, like most jobs, the leadership role is not free from myths and misconceptions.
That said, here are some of the myths and misconceptions about leadership:
Leadership is only for extroverted people
Assuming that the leadership position is only for extroverted people is pretty understandable. After all, being a leader would require you to connect and deal with numerous people in your daily work task. But what most people do not know is that introverted people make good leaders.
Two of the most common traits of introversion are being a listener and being reflective. You may think these characteristics have little effect on team development, but in reality, they are critical components every leader should have.
A leader must know how to gather feedback from both customers and their team. Thus, they need to be good listeners. Furthermore, being reflective also helps evaluate the causes and effects of your actions as a team. Both are extremely necessary for creating business opportunities.
Leaders must know everything and are infallible
People have this notion that leaders must know everything and are not allowed to make mistakes. This is what usually scares people off and makes them avoid taking on the role. But the thing is, leaders, just like everyone else, also make mistakes. No one is perfect, and the same thing applies to leaders. They are not omniscient beings that have the knowledge and answers to everything.
Although leaders must be knowledgeable about their role and the industry, these are not automatically handed down and must be learned. Even the most outstanding leaders in the world have slip-ups. But you know what sets them apart? It is their willingness to learn.
It does not matter where you get the knowledge from – it can be from books, Youtube videos, colleagues, friends, or even your subordinates. What matters is that you learned something new.
Great leaders are born, not made
“Are leaders born or made?” is a topic that many debates have focused on since who knows when. And many times, it has already been proven that leaders are, indeed, made and not born. The secret ingredient to becoming a leader is not anyone’s birthright. While a handful of people have the innate charisma and dexterity that makes them stand out among their peers, leadership skills are developed through time and experience.
Developing leadership skills is not only meant for those who have a knack for team management but also for those who do not have one. Working on oneself and nurturing one’s strength are just some qualities of a leader that can be developed.
One leadership style fits all
As you go on your leadership journey, you will be experimenting with different management styles, and one or two styles will inevitably be more apparent than the others. These techniques might be ingrained in your system and become a habit. Unfortunately, leadership styles are not a one size fits all.
Like technical skills or software, your team management style should also be updated. This is even more challenging as you have to adjust your technique from one person to another, especially if you are managing a diverse team. Furthermore, the number of your team members would also significantly affect your style in coaching them. Thus, it is critical to have as many leadership styles in your sleeves as possible.
Leadership comes with a position
People often think that leadership automatically comes with a position. While this may also be true, considering the hierarchy of roles in companies, leadership does not always have to go with a post.
By definition, a leader is someone who leads or commands a group, organisation, or country. In an office setting, anyone who can step up to guide their team toward their goals can be considered a leader. A sales representative who comes forward to assist an upset customer can also be considered a leader. So leadership is literally for anyone who has the knack for taking charge of a situation.
Leaders have the best educational backgrounds
Another misconception many people have about leadership is that leaders must have the best educational background and should have graduated from prestigious universities or taken their MBA. But this is simply not the reality. You are not required to have the highest educational attainment nor the best educational background just to be a leader. As mentioned, leadership can be given to someone willing to step out of their comfort zone and commit to taking people under their wing.
Leadership will make you a loner
While it is sometimes true that the higher your position is, the further your relationship with your colleagues must be because this is the only way you can avoid having biases. This does not necessarily mean that having a leadership role will make you become a loner in the organisation and shoulder every adversity that might come your way.
You can still collaborate with your team and work together in handling challenges. After all, true leadership is not a solitary responsibility but a collaborative activity. Remember that no single person has the answer to everything. The same is true that a single person should not be solely responsible for the failures or successes of a team.
Develop your leadership skills with Corporate Learning Solutions
Developing your skills as a leader can be genuinely challenging. But you do not have to do it on your own. There are agencies that can help you get to know your strengths and weaknesses and how you can improve or eliminate them.
Corporate Learning Solutions is a company that offers leadership courses that can help you manage your team for the better. If you want to get to know more about us, what we do, and what we can offer, you may visit our website at www.corplearn.com.au.
