Developing leadership skills and solutions can be a challenge, but effective leaders understand and welcome the challenge.  Although leaders embrace these challenges, they can still be a leader’s nightmare.  Check out these 4 nightmares every leader will have to face.

1. Disorganization

As a leader, you cannot control everything.  Matter of fact, the sign of an ineffective leader is one that attempts to control everything.

Although you cannot control everything, the best leaders know that they must set up organizational structures and be aware of leadership styles in order to create successful relationships and situations.  Without organizational structures and awareness of leadership styles, leaders will be faced with disorganization.  Disorganization will destroy any opportunities for a system to grow and thrive.   

2. Uniformity

There are many reasons why leaders seek uniformity.  One of the primary reasons is due to a leaders comfort level with one specific personality and leadership style.

The best leaders are focused on diversification of the people around them.  Great leaders know that creative ideas and productive actions come from a diverse support system.

The fact is that having people with the same thoughts, skills, and knowledge as you only gives your leadership limitations.  Growth, development, and success occur through diversification.

3. Deference 

One of the most challenging things when leading is dealing with a crisis or a difficult person.  Handling either one of these can be a nightmare if a leader chooses to use deference.  

Let me first say that it is important for you as a leader to defer to capable individuals to create space for you to do other awesome things.  However, deferring as a leader in the midst of a crisis or when dealing with a difficult person will destroy your leadership and your organization, which is a nightmare.

4. Comfortable

Change is never easy.  And there is nothing wrong with change as long as it is a change in the right direction.  As a leader, you must understand that you cannot control everything, but you can manage your own emotions and skills when it comes to change.  We aren’t prepared for change when we are comfortable, which will end up becoming a nightmare to our leadership. 

Change is inevitable.  So why avoid or oppose it?  Since it is inevitable, it will be smart as a leader to set expectations of you and your team accordingly.

There are definitely other things that can destroy the effectiveness of a leader.  Leadership is intriguing.  If you want to be effective as a leader, you need to do four things.  All the best leaders to walk this Earth all did these four things: 1) Set high standards, 2) Hired / Surrounded themselves with the best people, 3) Built a brand, 4) Stayed passionate and persistent, 5) Manage Crisis / Controversy.

Stop worrying about the “small stuff.”  It’s time for you change your nightmares into dreams, and your dreams into reality.

What nightmares do you have concerning leadership?  Please leave a comment below or email me directly.

Bryant 

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