Leadership is a learned skill. Like most other skills, you often learn by your failures. I have lead many organizations and teams, and I have learned some things regarding what to do and what not to do. If you are in a new position of leadership, or you just want to make sure you aren’t making mistakes, then I wrote this post for you. Whether you lead a single person or a company of thousands, I encourage you to seriously measure yourself against these mistakes.

Are You Making These Big 3 Leadership Mistakes?

1. You Aren’t Aware of What Your Team Is Up To

When I teach my business school students, I tell them one of the most important lessons I learned was this simple statement: never let it be said that you didn’t find out. It is crucial you have a pulse on your organization and your team. I do this through weekly report forms that my employees turn into me. It allows me to keep track of their Key Performance Indicators, and it also allows me to see how they are spending their time. They list out the projects they are working on, and the projects they have left on their to-do list. If you would like a template reflecting the weekly report form I have my team fill out, then enter your email address at the bottom of this post!

2. You Micro-Manage Your Team

This may seem to contradict the first point, but there is a difference between keeping a pulse on your team and being there to witness every heartbeat. I know what projects my office is working on every week, but I don’t ask them for every detail regarding each project. When you micro-manage your team, you show them that you don’t trust them. Every strong relationship in life is built on a foundation of trust, and if you do not have that with your team, it will fall apart. Unless they have given you a reason not to trust them or believe that they are doing their job, then let them have some creative freedom.

3. Not Trusting Your Intuition

When I was younger, I was sometimes timid when it came to expressing my opinions about certain things. As a pastor, I would never disagree with the elders, even if my gut was telling me to say something. Now, you shouldn’t disagree in order to create problems, but there were definitely times where I felt like I could have done something better. As the face of the church, it was my rear on the line for certain things, and it’s the same for you whether you lead a church, a business, or a small team. Speak up when your gut tells you to! God gave us intuition for a reason. I believe the Holy Spirit is always leading us and guiding us, so don’t disregard that small voice in your head.

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If you learned something from this post, or it helped you in any way, leave a comment below! To get the weekly report form template, enter your email below!