Most leaders are already doing way too much. So, instead of adding one more thing to your ever-growing list, review your current habits and identify what you need to stop doing to make you a better leader :
Winning too much : The need to win at all costs and in all situations.
Adding too much value : The overwhelming desire to add our two cents to every discussion.
Passing judgement : The need to rate others and impose our standards on them.
Making destructive comments : The needless sarcasms and cutting remarks that we think make us sound sharp and witty.
Starting with “No”, “But”, or “However”: These secretly say to everyone, “I’m right, you’re wrong”.
Telling the world how smart we are : The need to show people we are smarter than they think we are.
Speaking when angry: Using emotional volatility as a management tool.
Negativity, or “Let me explain why that won’t work” : The need to share our negative thoughts even when we weren’t asked.
Withholding information: The refusal to share information in order to maintain an advantage over others.
Failing to give proper recognition: The inability to praise and reward.
Claiming credit that we don’t deserve :The most annoying way to overestimate our contribution to any success.
Making excuses and an excessive need to be “me” : The need to reposition our annoying behaviour simply because they are who we are.
Clinging to the past: The need to deflect blame away from ourselves and onto events and people from our past.
Playing favourites: Failing to see that we are treating someone unfairly.
Refusing to express regret: The inability to take responsibility for our actions, admit we’re wrong, or recognize how our actions affect others.
Not listening: The most passive-aggressive form of disrespect.
Failing to express gratitude: The most basic form of bad manners.
Punishing the messenger: The misguided need to attack the innocent who are usually only trying to help us.
Passing the buck: The need to blame everyone but ourselves.
Reference: Marshall Goldsmith, 2007, “What got you here, wont get you there”
“Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can” – Emerson
