When our company is well established and needs to hire a manager, a production head or a leader to run the team, it is just as important that this person knows what must be done as what must never be done.
That way we can avoid business failure. Among the most common reasons a business fails because of its leader are the following:
- Inability to organize small details. An effective boss needs the ability to organize and keep control of the details. If they admit they are too busy to deal with a situation that calls for them as a leader, they are admitting their own incompetence.
- Unwillingness to perform humble tasks. Truly great leaders are always willing to pitch in when the occasion demands it.
- Expecting to be rewarded for what they know rather than for what they do with what they know. Never pay anyone for their knowledge, but for what they prove they can do or get others to do.
- Fear of competition from their own employees. A leader who fears that one of their own employees could take their job is practically doomed to see those fears come true sooner or later. A good leader develops their employees’ strengths and prepares them to work as a team, and the more competent the team, the better.
- Lack of creativity and imagination. Without imagination, a leader cannot overcome obstacles. Without creativity, they cannot deal with emergencies as they arise.
- Selfishness. We have all known leaders who like to take the credit for their employees’ work or ideas. That kind of leader is bound to breed resentment, because employees would work harder if their work were recognized.
- Disloyalty. This should top the list. A leader who isn’t loyal to their employees and superiors isn’t worth a thing, either as a person or as a professional, and draws to themselves the contempt they deserve.
- Overemphasizing their authority as a leader. Employees are more motivated when their boss is a down-to-earth, pleasant person who earns respect through knowledge and hard work. Reminding subordinates every day who’s in charge and making them afraid won’t achieve anything more.
If you are a leader, here are a few simple pointers on what you should never do.
If you own the business, this is your chance to check whether the boss or leader you hired falls into any of these mistakes. If so, you probably have unhappy employees.
And remember that the company isn’t just you. The company is the group of people who work in it.
Further reading
- Differences between Hispanic and American business owners
- Common mistakes Hispanic business owners make
- The mindset of an entrepreneur
- 5 ways to grow your business
Featured image: Deb Nystrom, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.
