Break Bad Habits and Develop Better Leadership Skills
What are the bad habits that are holding you back as a nonprofit leader?
Disorganization. Thinking small. Poor attitude. Not open to feedback.
You can overcome those habits by developing some key leadership skills
Maybe it’s that growing pile of papers on your desk that you’ve been collecting since you started working there. Or do you have tunnel vision, that only allows you to see the immediate problem? Or the fact that you’re always late for every meeting? If you want to have career success, now’s the time to extinguish these habits because they are holding you back from being a great leader. Let’s look at 5 reasons for breaking bad habits that can be barriers to being an impactful leader, and how you can do it.
Why do your habits matter?
1. Your team needs you to show them how it’s done
You’re going to get back what you put out into the world. Want your team to stay on top of tasks and get their work done efficiently? Then start demonstrating being organized, keep your own desk and workspace in order, and show up on time. Get rid of the piles of paper on your desk, the floor, and the bulletin boards because it’s sending the wrong message.
2. You need to think like a leader
Bad leadership habits are weighing you down and affecting your attitude. They take away from you being able to enjoy the work you’re doing. Bad habits can ruin work relationships and derail your career path. Don’t give your power up to bad habits; take control of how you show up and how you feel about your job. You’ll feel better about yourself and your work.
3. Your success depends on it
Bad habits are silent and sneaky career killers and give you the wrong kind of visibility. And, they can take away your leadership opportunities. You may think no one notices, but before you know it, everyone is talking about your bad habits or at least thinking about them. So put an end to it now before these habits ruin your chance of career growth.
4. You probably don’t like it when staff do the same thing
Think about it. If someone on your team did the same thing, would it bother you? Would it make you question their professionalism? Be honest. Be objective when looking at your habits and find the motivation to quit whatever is getting in your way of growing as a leader.
5. List your own reasons to improve your leadership skills
What will it cost you if you keep these bad leadership habits going? Career opportunities, team members, work relationships- all of these are valuable to your career. There might be many things driving your bad habits and you can work with an executive coach to help you figure that out and create a development plan that helps you to maximize your talents and skills while getting rid of career-killing behaviors. You owe it to yourself to commit to your own professional development and to eliminate any behaviors whose costs will far outweigh the benefits.
So how do you begin to develop effective leadership characteristics?
When you repeat any behavior it slowly becomes a habit. That behavior becomes something you do without thinking about it, especially bad habits. You can learn to do this with good, or healthy habits too.
Here are some tips for breaking these bad leadership habits:
Start by making small changes:
Start by reflecting on your day-to-day actions; think about any feedback you may have already gotten.
Think small and big. It’s not realistic to change everything overnight but identify what might constitute a small step in the right direction.
Create a plan of action:
Identify at least one habit you need to change, write down what the outcome is that you want, and what you will do over the next 21 days to achieve that outcome. Find the support you need to stay accountable to yourself and your goals. One of the first steps in our executive coaching process is assessing skills and goals and creating an individualized coaching plan that supports accountability and sustained progress.
For example, if you are struggling to get to meetings, put EVERY appointment on ALL your calendar(s) and practice getting to your meetings at least 5 minutes before the start time, for the next 21 days.
Commit to those changes:
Promise yourself you’ll make this shift; think about how you can reinforce this new behavior and what the consequences might be if you don’t.
Think about how you will celebrate if you make it to all your meetings at least 5 minutes ahead of schedule. Maybe you’ll share your accomplishment with your boss, or your team, or buy yourself a healthy treat. And, if you don’t stick to it, take the stairs for the rest of that day!
Where do you go from here?
Have a vision:
Knowing where you need to be and getting there early will reduce your anxiety and give you a minute to breathe and focus before the meeting starts! It will also show people that you are organized and dependable.
When you identify the change you want to make, be sure to write down the reasons for the change and also what the results might be for you if you don’t take this step.
Identify alternative behaviors:
Think about what some alternatives are, that could help you change the behavior you are demonstrating?
Is there a quick fix or solution that might help provide an alternative for example suggesting the use of video conferencing or having meetings at alternative locations? In addition, making these suggestions could benefit other people on the team as well.
Don’t do it alone
Get help to change your habits:
Share with people what you are working on and ask them to help keep you accountable. But be clear about what you need from them- a gentle reminder once in a while or constant nagging.
Asking for support from others demonstrates that you are willing to grow and shows people that you value professional development.
Ask for feedback from others:
Don’t just share what you are working on but also make sure to ask people for feedback, this will show that you are really dedicated to developing your leadership skills.
Don’t assume, no news is good news, your co-workers, team members, and even your boss may be leery of giving you feedback so let them know you are looking for it.
Are you wondering what is executive coaching and what is the benefit?
Executive leadership coaching can help you to identify the habits that are getting in the way of you being a great leader, work with you to create action plans, and hold you accountable to make real changes. It’s a one-on-one process tailored to help you assess what your development needs are and then create and implement a plan of action. If you recognize that you’re having any of the challenges described in his blog then let’s get started on your coaching plan. Schedule a free consultation call today to learn more.
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