
Over the years, I have asked many effective leaders managers to share some of their biggest leadership misconceptions before they began their leadership journey.
Certainty is an admirable quality in a leader. But when times are tough and headwinds are rough, it takes a remarkable leader to remain flexible and act proactively during ambiguity.
Having a positive mindset towards uncertainty is crucial.
Pay attention to the stories you tell yourself about your experiences. It's easy to get caught up in negative comparisons, dismissive attitudes, or self-criticism. Instead, shift your focus to curiosity, fascination, and a willingness to learn.
This means taking a proactive stance - anticipating that challenges will occur. It means being okay with whatever you had planned initially, knowing it will most likely evolve as you move forward. This isn't a sign of failure, rather it's an iteration process that makes the final product better than your initial assumptions.
Leaders can often get so frustrated that an unforeseen obstacle blocked their path. But if you've been on this planet for more than a couple of decades, you soon learn that obstacles are a fact of life. It's a false belief that you do something once and it works instantly. Falling into a spiral of self-doubt and believing that we aren't enough are common reactions that we can learn to avoid (or at least neutralise).
What successful leaders do is that they expect challenges and pivot. They have learnt to see obstacles, not as signs that they aren't doing the right things, but as opportunities to learn and create an even better outcome.
Rather than get defensive or angry, they ask curious questions. They see obstacles as a normal part of doing anything new and ask lots of questions to uncover the best way forward.
It's what I call inspired optimism. It's where leaders aren't afraid of exploring what's going wrong. But instead of ignoring uncomfortable issues or fixating on worst-case scenarios they believe that together as a team they have the talents, capabilities and resources to figure it all out.
Embracing new learning opportunities nurtures your confidence in navigating evolving circumstances with adaptability.
This is a time to look for ways to keep learning, adapting and contributing. It's not about having the most advanced skills, but embracing your experiences, beliefs and combining that with new skills. It's the sum total of all the ways you can enable those around you to sustain and empower their contribution.
Studies have shown that versatile leaders often have a wide range of career experiences and professional backgrounds compared to their peers. Additionally, they exhibit a keen ability to quickly grasp new concepts and integrate them into their leadership repertoire.
It's not necessarily about attending courses and getting new certifications. It could also be giving yourself a new mental or physical challenge such as learning a new instrument, a new work-related project, a new sport, writing or creating art.
A study of 260 CEOs and executives found that of those who had recently undertaken a new pursuit, more than half the respondents considered the impact on their work life to be positive, and 83% said that the new activity had improved their well-being. While 52% reported to being more productive in their job.
According to a study in Sloan Management Review, leaders who actively sort and integrate feedback have a 60% increase in their ability to change and a 45% improvement in interpersonal relationships with their teams.
As business needs shift, leaders must constantly adapt and readjust their strategies. This requires continual recalibration and the best way to do that is to ask and give feedback.
Learning how to ask for feedback about your leadership and act on it - sends a powerful message to your team that personal development and versatility are important.
Asking for feedback is the only way to gather real information about how your words and actions affect others. Rather than relying on one source, it's ideal to take input from multiple sources and then figure the best way to go forward. This includes asking trusted advisors about your leadership, your team dynamics and organisational needs.
The better at this we become, the more likely we improve our confidence in knowing we can adapt and figure things out when things change.
An important strategy for being more adaptable is broadening your horizons and becoming a more well-rounded person.
In a Harvard Business Review article, they found that versatile leaders intentionally stretch themselves and experiment with trying new things. On the other hand, less versatile leader tend to have a narrow view of themselves and avoid opposing perspectives or behaviours.
Increasing your versatility requires stepping out of your comfort zone. This could be doing activities that scare you (for me, that's parachuting - and no, I haven't tried it yet!), tasting new foods or it could be hanging out with people different to you. This requires having an open and curious mind, to learn about others and understand their way of thinking.
You can start small. Another great technique is to drive home from work a different way each day. It can be so easy to get stuck in a groove.
Answering these questions isn't easy. They are designed to ignite innovative thinking and encourage deep reflection. Over time, it helps build an adaptive mindset that helps individuals explore new approaches.
Over the years, I have asked many effective leaders managers to share some of their biggest leadership misconceptions before they began their leadership journey.
Emerging leaders often kickstart their leadership journey by mirroring the practices of inspirational mentors.