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decision making

Leadership Thought #400 – 25 Ways Leaders Get Themselves in Trouble

Business leadership isn’t easy. If it were, everyone would be able to do it. Some talented people make it look easy, but we often don’t see all the effort that goes into making it look that way. Most leaders struggle at some point and must learn some difficult lessons as part of their journey. Experience can be the best teacher if you are open to learning. I’ve observed the following twenty-five ways (in no particular order) that leaders tend to get themselves in trouble:

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Leadership Thought #245 – Leaders Are Paid To Make the Hard Decisions

Leadership is rarely about doing what is easy. If the decision ends up at your desk, it means no one else can or should make it. As Harry Truman was fond of saying, “The buck stops here.” If you are delegating correctly, then your people will feel empowered to step up and make most day-to-day decisions. If you select the right people, they will be capable of using sound judgment and thinking through almost anything. However, some issues come down to leadership prerogative and accountability.

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Leadership Thought #403 – What Makes A Great President

Great presidents don’t shy away from challenges; they embrace them and guide the country through them with grace and strength. They understand the importance of relationships, both at home and abroad, and they know that progress comes from collaboration, not isolation. Most importantly, they lead with empathy, genuinely caring about the people they serve and finding joy in connecting with the public.

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Leadership Thought #462 – The Need To Step Back and Reflect

In our society that rewards constant action, it is often hard to step back and reflect about where you have been, what you have learned, and where you should be going. However, leadership requires thinking and reflection as much as it is supposed to stimulate action. Many people I know are busy at doing the wrong things. They are working hard but not smart. Every day is just one more attempt to push the boulder up the hill and hope that at some point positive sustained momentum will push them over the top. Unfortunately as the slope of their climb increases the weight of their responsibilities also increases and the path they are treading becomes less predictable and stable. You can’t push forward into unchartered territory and not expect to learn some tough lessons along the way. If you are not careful, you may slip or fall and the boulder will roll right back over you.

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Leadership Thought #460 – You Set The Tone in Your Organization

The leader of an organization must always set the tone. Never forget this fact. I am regularly bemused when I hear a leader complain about the state of things in their organization. It is as if they remove themselves from the equation. They wonder how things got this bad, as if it’s a mystery when all they have to do is look in the mirror.

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Leadership Thought #423 – There Is A Fine Line Between Persistence and Stupidity

I am a firm believer in the importance of persistence and determination. Many people give up just before things are about to break their way. However, it never makes sense to jump off a cliff simply because it is there. Not every strategy is wise, and not every course of action is worth continuing. You need to pay attention to the signals the universe is sending you. Trends either move up or down. They rarely remain flat. Sometimes, the objective evidence suggests that you should try something different.

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Leadership Thought #416 – Have a Plan B

Things rarely work out exactly as planned. We often attempt something with the best of intentions, only to run smack into a less accommodating reality. In decision-making and negotiation situations, it is advisable to have a “Plan B” that allows you to adjust to shifting circumstances or differing points of view.

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