We recently asked the Leader’s Studio team the following question: “In your experience, what is the most common mistake you see new leaders making?” Here are their responses:

Jodi Taylor’s response:
Not knowing how to delegate and build a team. New leaders are successful because they have performed well at their technical tasks. They are typically responsible and knowledgeable. However the minute, they become a leader, their real job changes. They need to learn how to get the task done by motivating, communicating and developing others. This is an entirely new set of skills that what has made them successful so far.

Not understanding that the role of a leader is different and their impact is different. Leaders need to learn how to put on the role of a leader, understand that their responses suddenly have a larger effect than when they were just a team member and that they have become a role model for the rest of the tram so that there are behaviors they can no longer engage in.

Fred Harburg’s response:
Failure to learn from mistakes and achievements. Most new leaders are so invested in appearing competent that they are blind to what they are doing that is just not working or that is working exceptionally well. It’s hard to overestimate the importance of learning from every experience and from every outcome, both good and bad. When learning stops so does growth.

Robert Ginnett’s response:
Jumping right into the task and not working on the team. Remember, most new leaders got selected for that position because they were good individual contributors at the task. But as a new leader, their job is not to do the work themselves. And this brings us to my definition of leadership: the leader’s job is to create the conditions for the team to be effective.

New leaders, often feeling anxious about their new position—and often without any organizational training or support—jump to the task because they know they are good at the task. But as a leader of others, it is their team’s job to get the task done and the leader’s job is to help them make that happen.

Marilyn Tam’s response:
Making decisions too quickly without the proper information - or - Not making decisions until it is too late. The common theme in this conundrum is that new leaders are not sure of how to deal with the elevated level of responsibility and they either jump to immediate conclusions based on insufficient data or wait until the issue becomes a crisis.

A way to move forward gracefully is to:

1. Ask Questions
2. Assess the situation
3. Gather information from the range of sources
4. Act and coordinate with all relevant parties.
5. Determine the right decision based on the mission and purpose of the company/division
6. Keep following up to ensure that the process is on track to attain the desired outcome

Most of all, new leaders should feel comfortable to know that every leader makes mistakes; just make sure that contingency plans are in place should a decision turns out to have undesired results and learn from your mistakes.

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