In the ever-evolving landscape of business, the ability to adapt and grow is more critical than ever. As leaders, our behaviours can either propel us forward or hold us back. It's not just about acquiring new skills but also about unlearning habits that hinder our progress. Marshall Goldsmith's seminal work, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, highlights 20 ineffective habits that successful leaders must overcome to continue their ascent (Goldsmith, 2007). Let's explore why changing these behaviours is essential for accelerating growth and how addressing them can unlock our full potential.
The Imperative of Behavioral Change
Leadership effectiveness is strongly linked to self-awareness and the willingness to modify detrimental behaviours (Luthans & Youssef-Morgan, 2017). By identifying and transforming ineffective habits, leaders can enhance their emotional intelligence, improve team dynamics, and foster organizational success. Behavioural change is not a one-time event but a continuous journey that requires reflection and commitment.
The 20 Ineffective Habits Hindering Growth
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Winning Too Much: The excessive desire to win in all situations, whether they matter or not. The excessive need to win in all situations can alienate team members. Balancing competitiveness with collaboration fosters a more inclusive environment.
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Situation A: Hijacking a team meeting to push your ideas, even when others have valuable contributions.
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Situation B: Turning friendly conversations into competitions to showcase your superiority.
Ways to Improve:
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Practice Restraint: Choose your battles wisely; not every situation requires a victory.
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Celebrate Others: Encourage and acknowledge the successes of your team members.
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Adding Too Much Value: The urge to improve every idea and overloading others with your input can diminish their enthusiasm. Empowering team members enhances creativity and ownership.
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Situation A: Interrupting a colleague’s proposal to inject your suggestions constantly.
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Situation B: Over-editing a team member's work to align it with your preferences.
Ways to Improve:
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Listen Fully: Allow others to present their ideas without immediate input.
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Empower Team Members: Trust in their abilities and provide space for growth.
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Passing Judgment: Imposing your standards can stifle innovation. Embracing diverse perspectives leads to richer solutions—the habit of imposing your standards on others, often discouraging them.
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Situation A: Critiquing someone's approach before understanding their perspective.
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Situation B: Dismissing new ideas because they don't align with your methods.
Ways to Improve:
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Be Open-Minded: Embrace diverse viewpoints.
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Provide Constructive Feedback: Focus on the idea, not the person.
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Making Destructive Comments: Engaging in sarcasm or negativity that undermines morale. Constructive feedback encourages growth and development.
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Situation A: Responding to a suggestion with, "That'll never work here."
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Situation B: Making jokes at a colleague's expense in meetings.
Ways to Improve:
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Promote Positivity: Encourage and uplift others.
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Think Before Speaking: Consider the impact of your words.
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Starting with “No,” “But,” or “However”: These words can shut down dialogue and signal disagreement. Starting with affirmation promotes open communication.
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Situation A: "No, that's not how it's done."
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Situation B: "But we've already tried that."
Ways to Improve:
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Use Affirmatives: Begin responses with "Yes," or "I see your point."
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Build on Ideas: Add value without negating others' input.
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Telling the World How Smart We Are: Constantly showcasing intelligence can be off-putting. Overemphasizing your intelligence alienates others. Demonstrating humility builds trust and respect.
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Situation A: Dominating discussions to showcase your expertise.
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Situation B: Correcting trivial mistakes to assert superiority.
Ways to Improve:
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Be Humble: Let your work speak for itself.
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Encourage Dialogue: Foster an environment where everyone contributes.
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Speaking When Angry: Reacting in anger can damage relationships. Practising emotional regulation is key to effective leadership (Goleman et al., 2013).
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Situation A: Sending a heated email without cooling off.
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Situation B: Publicly reprimanding a team member out of frustration.
Ways to Improve:
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Pause Before Responding: Take time to process emotions.
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Address Issues Privately: Handle conflicts with discretion.
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Negativity, or “Let Me Explain Why That Won’t Work”: Being overly critical stifles innovation. Pessimism kills innovation. Adopting a positive outlook encourages experimentation.
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Situation A: Immediately pointing out flaws in new ideas.
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Situation B: Focusing on obstacles rather than solutions.
Ways to Improve:
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Adopt a Growth Mindset: See challenges as opportunities.
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Encourage Creativity: Support experimentation and risk-taking.
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Withholding Information: Lack of transparency and Not sharing information breeds distrust. Sharing knowledge empowers teams.
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Situation A: Keeping important updates for yourself.
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Situation B: Failing to inform the team about changes that affect them.
Ways to Improve:
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Promote Transparency: Share relevant information openly.
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Facilitate Communication: Establish regular updates and check-ins.
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Failing to Give Proper Recognition: Overlooking contributions demotivate employees. Neglecting to acknowledge others' contributions diminishes morale. Recognition boosts engagement and performance (Anitha, 2014).
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Situation A: Overlooking achievements in team meetings.
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Situation B: Taking credit for collaborative efforts.
Ways to Improve:
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Celebrate Successes: Publicly acknowledge team members.
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Express Gratitude: Offer sincere thanks for efforts.
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Claiming Credit That Belongs to Others: Taking undue credit erodes trust. Acknowledging others' work fosters loyalty.
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Situation A: Accepting accolades for someone else's idea.
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Situation B: Not correcting misattributions of success.
Ways to Improve:
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Acknowledge Authorship: Give credit where it’s due.
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Promote Team Achievements: Highlight collective efforts.
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Making Excuses: Justifying mistakes instead of taking responsibility. Deflecting responsibility hinders growth. Owning mistakes leads to learning opportunities.
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Situation A: Blaming missed deadlines on others.
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Situation B: Using "I'm swamped" to excuse lapses.
Ways to Improve:
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Own Your Actions: Accept responsibility for outcomes.
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Focus on Solutions: Address issues proactively.
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Clinging to the Past: Holding onto old ways and resistance to change impedes progress. Embracing adaptability is vital in today's dynamic environment.
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Situation A: Resisting new technologies because "the old way works fine."
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Situation B: Frequently recounting past successes to override current ideas.
Ways to Improve:
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Embrace Change: Stay open to innovation.
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Learn Continuously: Adapt to new trends and methodologies.
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Playing Favorites: Favoring certain people breeds resentment. Favoritism creates division. Equitable treatment strengthens team cohesion.
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Situation A: Consistently assigning key projects to a select few.
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Situation B: Socializing exclusively with certain team members.
Ways to Improve:
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Be Fair: Distribute opportunities equitably.
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Build Diverse Relationships: Engage with all team members.
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Refusing to Express Regret: Not apologizing strains and harms relationships. Expressing regret repairs trust.
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Situation A: Ignoring the impact of your mistake on others.
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Situation B: Saying, "I don't apologize," as a rule.
Ways to Improve:
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Apologize Sincerely: Acknowledge when you’re wrong.
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Show Empathy: Understand others' feelings.
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Not Listening: Failing to listen alienates others. Poor listening skills lead to miscommunication. Active listening enhances understanding and collaboration.
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Situation A: Multitasking during conversations.
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Situation B: Interrupting to impose your point.
Ways to Improve:
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Practice Active Listening: Give full attention.
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Confirm Understanding: Paraphrase what you've heard.
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Failing to Express Gratitude: Lack of appreciation reduces motivation. Gratitude contributes to a positive culture.
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Situation A: Not acknowledging extra efforts.
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Situation B: Taking support for granted.
Ways to Improve:
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Say Thank You: Regularly express appreciation.
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Recognize Contributions: Highlight efforts publicly.
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Punishing the Messenger: Reacting negatively to bad news discourages honesty. Encouraging openness leads to better problem-solving.
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Situation A: Reprimanding someone for reporting an issue.
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Situation B: Retaliating against a whistleblower.
Ways to Improve:
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Appreciate Honesty: Thank individuals who bring concerns.
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Address Issues, Not People: Focus on resolving problems collaboratively.
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Passing the Buck: Avoiding accountability and shifting blame undermines leadership credibility. Responsibility inspires confidence.
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Situation A: Blaming team failures on specific individuals.
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Situation B: Deflecting responsibility onto other departments.
Ways to Improve:
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Accept Responsibility: Own your role in outcomes.
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Collaborate on Solutions: Work together to fix issues.
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An Excessive Need to Be “Me”: Using personal traits as an excuse for negative behaviour. Rigidly sticking to personal traits can limit effectiveness. Being adaptable enhances leadership impact.
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Situation A: Justifying impatience by saying, "That's just how I am."
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Situation B: Refusing feedback because you believe you shouldn't have to change.
Ways to Improve:
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Seek Self-Improvement: Be open to growth.
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Adapt for the Team: Adjust behaviours that impact others negatively.
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Accelerating Growth Through Behavioral Change
By identifying and addressing these ineffective habits, leaders can foster a more positive work environment, enhance collaboration, and drive personal and organizational growth. Leaders who actively work on their behaviours inspire their teams, drive innovation, and navigate challenges more effectively. Behavioural change enhances leadership flexibility, a trait linked to improved performance and adaptability in complex environments (Lawrence et al., 2009).
Strategies for Change
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Self-Reflection: Regular introspection helps identify habits that need change.
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Feedback Seeking: Constructive feedback from peers and mentors provides valuable insights.
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Coaching and Development: Engaging in executive coaching can facilitate behavioural transformation (Underhill et al., 2019).
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Mindfulness Practices: Mindfulness increases self-awareness and emotional regulation (King & Badham, 2018).
Conclusion
Changing ineffective behaviours is not just about personal improvement—it's about elevating your leadership to accelerate growth for yourself and your organization. By committing to this journey of transformation, leaders can break through barriers and achieve new levels of success.
#executivecoaching #leadershipcoaching #coaching #leadershipsynergist
References
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Anitha, J. (2014). Determinants of employee engagement and their impact on employee performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 63(3), 308-323.
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Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A. (2013). Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence. Harvard Business Press.
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Goldsmith, M. (2007). What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful. Hyperion.
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King, E., & Badham, R. (2018). The Wheel of Mindfulness: A Generative Framework for Second-Generation Mindfulness at Work. Mindfulness, 9(2), 379-392.
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Lawrence, P. R., Lorsch, J. W., & Garrison, J. S. (2009). Organization and environment. In Organizational Psychology (pp. 189-205). Routledge.
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Luthans, F., & Youssef-Morgan, C. M. (2017). Psychological Capital: An Evidence-Based Positive Approach. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 339-366.
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Underhill, B., McAnally, K., & Koriath, J. J. (2019). Executive Coaching for Results: The Definitive Guide to Developing Organizational Leaders. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
