If you believe you are not doing well as a leader and others are sharing feedback based on this perception, it can be overwhelming. In this piece, the author offers practical steps you can take if you need a comeback. By focusing on self-reflection, asking for support, and thoughtfully examining your role within the company, you can determine your next steps and how you need to grow as a leader.
There is no perfect leader. If you lead teams or an organization, you will be wrong — sometimes big. While perfection is unattainable, too many big mistakes can cost you credibility. If you are a leader with a lack of credibility, it can be difficult to come back, especially if you and your teams view your performance negatively.
If you need to return, there are steps you can take to navigate the situation:
1. Look within and reflect on yourself.
Before you start judging yourself against someone else’s standards, go back within. No matter how bad you feel about your performance, don’t hesitate: stop. While it is very easy to wallow and think of all the “what ifs” and things that could be better, these thoughts will not help you make decisions and changes in the long run. Rumination makes problems seem bigger and more unmanageable than they really are. Set a time limit on your frantic thoughts; I recommend actually using a timer. Your self-evaluation can be conditioned by what others say about your leadership and work, so you don’t get clarity by thinking the situation to death. I teach clients to set aside 10 minutes for discussion. When the timer goes off, it’s time to move on and brainstorm solutions.
2. Breathing.
Sometimes it’s better to stop at the more obvious. If you have time to rest, take a quick trip to clear your head. If that’s not possible, the next best activity is walking. Go for a walk without listening to a podcast or a book. I recommend that clients take a slow, leisurely walk a day, without noise or stimulation. Look at the trees, the houses in your neighborhood, or any sights along your path, and let your mind wander. Let things bubble up. You will gain insights on how to be a better leader and what actions to take. Make sure you have a place where you can record these ideas as you go – the more specific the idea, the better. For example, you can record a voice memo: “At the end of the week I will meet with the sales managers and go over their specific successes and issues. I will not allow anyone to reschedule meetings. Report I will share what I learned in leading our meeting on Tuesday.
3. Get the facts.
Once you’ve thoroughly evaluated yourself, it’s time to collect external data so you can determine what metrics you’re aiming for as a leader – and whether your teams’ negative assessments are positive. basic.
First, look at your reviews and think through your individual meetings. Ask yourself:
- What areas do I need to improve?
- Does a development feature appear more than once?
- Am I making an honest effort to make the changes suggested by management?
Many leaders have come here; they resist making difficult changes and put them off until “tomorrow.” Start by looking at the changes you’ve been holding back from making. Ask your manager lots of questions so you can start solidifying your areas of improvement. If you are taking a 360, use this source for more clarity. Strengthening your areas of development is where the detailed work needs to happen; develop a specific maintenance plan. That means taking each area you need to focus on and creating benchmarks to measure success so you know if you’re making progress or not.
4. Evaluate your role within the company culture.
perhaps a culture clash contributes to your lack of leadership performance. Does your management style match the needs of the company? For example, if you are in a culture that values getting the job done quickly with few mistakes instead of thinking about every issue, your job is to get the job done and forget about further analysis. If this is not your style, recognize that you will need to adapt to the company’s stated work culture and values. Just saying “This is me” won’t get you the changes you want. You have to accept that there will be times when you need to change, whether you like it or not.
5. Expand your sphere of influence.
Check where you need to work on influencing and making deep connections with your peers – and just as importantly, your directions. Ask yourself these questions:
- Where can I make better calls for the group?
- Do I attend meetings as prepared as I should be?
- Am I asking an uncomfortable or difficult question?
- Have I developed relationships not only with peers and others I “like,” but also with peers who are more difficult to influence?
You are more tomorrow is your sphere of influence, the more positive others view your leadership. You will also better understand the personality dynamics at play in your workplace and become better able to evaluate the feedback you receive from others.
6. Ask for outside support.
You do internal work to strengthen your leadership, and you seek help from within the organization. Now it’s time to look outside. Do you have a mentor you can rely on for learning and advice? If nothing else comes to mind, take a look at your LinkedIn profile. Find someone outside the office who can give you candid, unfiltered ideas and solutions.
7. Reassess your fit.
Unfortunately, even after taking dedicated steps to improve your performance, the fit between you and your organization may not be right. Maybe it’s time to look for a new opportunity. You can only decide this after a lot of thought and work, and it is not an easy choice. Take your time; don’t make a sudden decision. Ask yourself these questions:
- Is this the right organization for me?
- Am I? want to be a leader within this organization?
- Am I happy and having fun?
- Do I want to grind and act on these issues?
If you believe you are not doing well as a leader and others are sharing feedback based on this perception, it can be overwhelming. The most important action you can take is to stop, and then work through a process to determine your next steps. By focusing on self-reflection, engaging with support, and thoughtfully examining your role within the company, you can discover where you need to grow as a leader.
