15 Myths About Leading
As someone who has extensive experience of leading and helps others to achieve success as a leader or manager, I am a pretty avid reader around the topic. While there are many great insights and words of wisdom, there are many myths too. Here are 15 of my favourites:
- Your ability to lead depends on how senior you are in the organisation.
- People will naturally follow you if you are at the right level in the organisation.
- You are born a leader. I have yet to hear about the parents of the new born being told in the delivery room that their little boy or girl has the leadership gene.
- You need to be an extrovert to lead. In fact research undertaken by Jim Collins for the excellent book ‘Good To Great’ suggests the complete opposite.
- It’s all about strategy, vision and long term. Yes this is important, but look at the financial pages of a good quality newspaper and you will see how much focus there is on short term. It is all about balance.
- When you become a leader your job becomes easier.
- You need to know the detail as to how things work. It helps but it can also be a barrier.
- You can cut back on your learning, development and personal growth. The reality is that learning is lifelong.
- It’s easy to please all stakeholders.
- You don’t have to make sacrifices.
- You can do it all alone.
- You need to be extremely knowledgeable.
- You need to be really smart. One thing you do need to have in spade loads is emotional intelligence.
- Being a leader and an entrepreneur are the same thing. As long as you are salaried and are not investing personally your risk is different.
- You need to keep collecting more and more academic qualifications. Often it is experience that counts.
Well that’s my list, what else would you add?
Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants and health professionals to become highly effective leaders and managers. He invites you to take advantage of his free audio e-course Leadership Success at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk
About the Author Duncan Brodie
Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.