Top10 mistakes leaders_spectrum2015

TOP 10 MISTAKES LEADERS MAKE Tricia Spayer

2015

Game of Leadership

3/29/2015 2 STC Spectrum 2015 - Tricia Spayer

Presenter

Presentation Notes

You are embarking on a wonderful journey to the Land of Legendary Leadership. I have traveled this road many times in many capacities, and observed some stupid things. OK – done stupid things. Use the mistakes I (and others) have made as a shortcut over the Swamp of Stupidity to get closer and quicker to the Summit of Success.

1. Fails to Communicate Vision • Expects others to know vision • Does not remind others about vision • Does not keep up with events that may prevent goals

from being achieved


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Expecting others to know your vision – when you create a vision and share it with others, you expect them to embrace it, live it, and remember it. Likely, they’ll forget within a day. If you don’t constantly pound the vision into their heads, tell them why you are doing something a certain way, and reminding them of the spectacular outcome they are contributing to, they won’t follow your vision. Face it – everyone is busy. They are mostly focused on themselves and their own lives. Phrase it in such a way that it benefits them, and they are able to embrace it.

2. Does Not Set Goals • Fails to plan • Does not set specific goals • Does not involve team in planning process • Does not create detailed action plan or timetable for goals • Does not communicate action plan


Presenter

Presentation Notes

TM – Finishing CC’s – discussed among officers – did not communicate with the person who needed to do it – and this was a time-limited goal Sometimes fails to plan. Just expect everyone to know what to do, expect team to know as much as you do

3. Does Not Delegate • Afraid to trust others • Afraid to ask others • Control freak • Micro-manager • Insecure • Selfish


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Micromanaging – giving a job to someone else. Keeping close tabs on them to make sure they’re doing it YOUR way. And many times, doing most of the work yourself. I gave the job of designing a conference mailer to someone. I decided I didn’t like her design, so I whipped up something – and had the audacity to ask for her feedback! I have seen other leaders give someone a task, and nagging them to the point of exhaustion – did you get this done yet? What about this? When will you have information about this? If you trust someone enough to give them a job – let them do it! Give them the authority to make decisions. Allow them to make mistakes ! LISTEN to someone else’s ideas. Get over yourself! This (STC) is a volunteer organization. Things aren’t going to go exactly the way you planned. People will make mistakes. Not every volunteer will perform to your expectations.

4. Does Not Follow Through/ Provide Feedback • Gives instructions, doesn’t ask progress • Does not inform team members of progress • Does not tell team member how she performed • Does not give specific suggestions for improvement


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Not following up – we assign committee tasks at the beginning of the year, expect others to complete them, and not taking the time to find out if they need resources, training, or anything else. In TM, I took on the role of Division Governor, and expected all the AG’s to do their tasks. After all, I was doing mine! I didn’t have the energy or the drive to follow up. As a result, only some of the AG’s did what they were supposed to do. When I was VP Ed, running mentorship program, I gave mentoring assignments & told them to do it. Expected them to be regularly contacting their mentees, helping them, expecting them to follow the guidelines I handed out.

5. Does Not Develop People • Does not find replacement • Does not provide opportunity for team member to learn

and grow • Expects others to know what they are doing • Does not assign tasks with expectations • Does not provide assistance or tools to learn


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Expecting others to know what they’re doing – even if someone has been on a committee for years, he or she may not know what you expect from them Not being specific –OR - Giving others a task without expectations – we can assign someone a task, like booking a meeting, but we don’t tell them when certain pieces need to be done and reported back, what the financial expectations are, and what your vision of the outcome is

6. Does Not Motivate or Reward Appropriately • Does not recognize immediately • Takes advantage of others • Does not show appreciation • Does not take time to find out what motivates team

member


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Asking a volunteer to do something without explaining what’s in it for the volunteer. TM Division Governor: “Why won’t any of you volunteer to be District leaders?” Makes it sound like a lot of work, working for a dictator. Never bothers to explain why a volunteer might want to take the role. Taking advantage of others, or taking shortcuts – in TM, we earn award levels based on projects or activities we do. We usually need someone to sign off on these activities. Sometimes this means: hosting a speech contest, taking a leadership role for a year, or completing a high performance leadership project. I have seen people do the minimum amount of work, expect others to do everything else for them, cover their butts. Just show up on the day of an event, expecting everything to have been done by someone else, and whining to senior leaders to help them. Or completing a project where others are involved – when others take time out of their busy schedules to attend meetings, perform duties above and beyond their normal course of duty – and not thanking the team members, or not offering to help those same team members to complete those same projects. Recognize immediately – not an award in June for something they did in September

7. Lacks Confidence • Responds to emails or other communications immediately • Afraid to ask someone to do something • Asks someone to do a task the leader won’t do himself • Does not delegate • Afraid of taking risks


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Not having confidence – I once asked a member of the audience if she would like to be VP of the chapter – in front of everyone – as we were doing our introductions of officers for the next year. Responding right away – email is not instant communication. Sometimes we drive ourselves crazy trying to keep up with everything every moment. Sometimes you respond – with emotion. If it’s a difficult decision you need to make, you need to sleep on it for 24 hours before you respond. I have made the mistake of answering every email or question as it came in. I lost focus. I was not able to concentrate on my own job; couldn’t get things done. Stressed me out. Asking someone else to do something when you won’t do it yourself – especially if it is an unpleasant task, like delivering bad news, or telling a committee about a decision those above them have made (that the committee is obviously going to like). When leader asks someone else to perform this task, when he or she never had to do this herself, or not giving the leader advice how to do this, it becomes quite off-putting for the middle leader.

8. Takes On Too Much • Afraid to say no • Perfectionist • Does not take future plans/ obligations into account • People-pleaser • Lacks confidence


Presenter

Presentation Notes

saying yes to positions you cannot properly follow through in. Taking on too much – I really didn’t have the energy to take on the role of Division Governor in TM along with my duties as AG and VP Education in my club. But someone cornered me at a training event, in person, and I couldn’t say no.

9. Fails to Build Team • Does not connect with team members • Does not listen to members’ suggestions • Does not encourage participation • Does not set goals for team


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Not connecting – with your audience, your board, your constituents. If you are cold, a bully, or dictatorial, those around you aren’t likely to perform their best.

10. Takes It Too Seriously • Thinks it’s all about them (narcissistic) • Demands that others honor their title • Believes title = entitlement • Bullies • Doesn’t laugh


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Most people don’t know what it is that you do outside of your inner circle. Don’t expect them to be as excited or impressed as you are. Don’t be impressive: be impressed This is a volunteer organization. Don’t expect people to perform perfectly, up to your expectations, or even complete their tasks. Allow them to fail. Taking the position too seriously – if the work you are doing is all work and no play, there are rarely great rewards. Expecting perfection. Thinking it’s about you – you have a wonderful title. You expect everyone around you, including those that aren’t part of your association, to revere you, to honor you, to think you’re incredible. Most likely, the people outside your close circle of associates don’t know – or care – about your role.

Conclusion • To become a better leader:

• Communicate: clearly and often • Connect with team members • Know it’s not about you • Take time to recharge • Practice confidence • Laugh • Fail


Questions? • www.linkedin.com/triciaspayer/

http://www.linkedin.com/triciaspayer/�

Top10 mistakes leaders_spectrum2015

Documents

stc spectrum

specific goals

mistakes leaders

stupid things

certain way

detailed action plan

team members of progress

things arent