Question: What is one bad leadership habit you are actively trying to overcome, and why?
Holding Employees to My Standards
"I've always been incredibly driven, and even before I was an entrepreneur I was constantly looking for ways to improve everything about my professional performance. I obviously love this trait in employees, but I realize it's not universal. While I hold everyone on my team accountable for excellence, it's unrealistic to expect all of them to have the same passion I do for constant improvement."
@brittanyhodak
Reacting Too Emotionally
"In many cases, communicating with passion and high-energy is essential for getting the desired results. But if you get bad news, it's more important to resist the initial impulse reaction, take a step back and analyze the situation before you respond. This kind of balance between passion and measured responses is a powerful skill for anyone to learn."
@nicolemunoz
Saying Sorry All the Time
"We as women tend to apologize for everything. We need to stop. Generally speaking, this is not something I hear my male peers doing. So unless what happened was malicious, don't apologize. Saying sorry for things that aren't our fault undermines our power; it allows others to subliminally blame us for things that are out of our control."
@cooperharris
Doing Things Because I "Should"
"I'm generally good at setting boundaries, but as my business grows, I have to be even more selective. This includes cutting down on things that I sometimes feel I "should" do but aren't always the best use of my time, such as coffee meetings and responding to unsolicited requests. I still do these, but within bounds that work with my goals."
@RealLifeE
Downplaying My Accomplishments
"When I speak to customers, vendors, employees or mentees, people have researched my background and often mention my accomplishments during the conversation. Rather than appreciate these acknowledgements, I often downplay them or change the subject. As an entrepreneur, I'm now trying to sit back and appreciate my success -- something that many entrepreneurs don't often do, but should."
@TamaraNall
Seeing Criticism as a Bad Thing
"So many women want to be liked, so we avoid giving criticism that needs to be given. Instead, we send our employees and direct reports out into the world ill-equipped for the criticism they will face when they turn in substandard work. Criticism doesn't mean tearing people down; it means pruning their skills until they're better than ever. I try to remove the negative stereotype of criticism every day."
@marenhogan
Being Too Idealistic
"I tend to be more visionary and see the bigger picture. It's a good trait to have, but can be problematic at times. I focus more on the end result than the actual path that is needed to get us there. To help combat this, my team interrogates me and plays devil's advocate to ensure that all challenges of the project are discussed and met. I find that this helps me to think in more practical terms."
@collabz
