5 Leadership Myths to Let Go For Good
In the realm of leadership, you’ll often come across a range of long-standing ideas and perspectives around what leadership ‘is’ or ‘should be’.
Some are helpful - and some of them less so.
Certain ideas about what leadership ‘looks like’, or ‘who’ should be a leader, are often perpetuated over and over, despite being outdated for the modern workplace, especially in a post-pandemic world.
It’s one of the reasons I developed my Above the Line leadership framework (check out my webinar here if you’d like to learn more). This framework is based on contemporary research and evidence based concepts that showcase the authentic value of creating psychologically aware, responsible and safe workplaces where leaders and employees thrive.
And a part of that is breaking down where ideas about leadership get it wrong.
5 Leadership Myths Debunked
Throughout my work with various leaders across different organisations, some of those old ideas about what leadership ‘is’ will often rear their heads. So I thought it would be a great idea to debunk them.
Here’s a little look at five that we should definitely let go for good:
1.Leaders must be the most knowledgeable in the room.
You don’t build a team of professionals and specialists to then insist you know better than all of them.
Some workplaces seem to hold onto the idea that leadership teams must know better (and more) than anyone else. But the truth is, this just isn’t possible in today’s fast-moving industries - nor is it desirable.
Individual employees work hard to develop skillsets and knowledge, and often have far greater insight into the daily goings-on than most leaders.
Instead of insisting on being the most knowledgeable in the room, leaders should be ready to tap into the vast wealth of understanding, knowledge and skills of the team they bring together.
2. The best leaders are natural extroverts.
Extroversion is often held up on a pedestal as the ‘best’ trait to be for many things in society, not least in leadership. And while there are many extroverted characteristics that are beneficial to leadership, there are equally as many introverted characteristics.
Contemplation, reflection, deep listening, observing: these are more commonly associated with introversion, and yet vital for sound decision-making, critical analysis and planning - essential parts of leadership.
There are many thriving, engaged leaders in the world who you won’t have heard of because they’re more typically introverted. Extroverted or introverted, some of the best leaders focus more on self-leadership, understanding their unique qualities and how these can be used to support and build thriving teams.
3. Leadership is an innate quality that can’t be taught.
The Great Man Theory, developed by Thomas Carlyle, asserted that leadership traits are intrinsic and will activate when the right set of circumstances presents itself. The theory was popularised in the 1840s - I’d like to think we’ve moved on a bit since then!
Falling into this type of thinking can also lead those who find themselves in leadership positions to believe they don’t need to seek out support or development opportunities, as they’re already innately predisposed for success.
There is a huge range of factors involved in how and when an individual becomes a leader, not least environment, social structures and opportunity, culture, and education - and that’s before we begin adding neurobiology, genetics and personality.
While there are certainly some who seem natural leaders, there are skills, approaches and abilities that can be taught, supported and nurtured in anyone adopting a leadership role.
4. There is one ‘best’ leadership style to follow.
A lot of leadership training takes a ‘one size fits all’ approach, and many people learn a few ideas and habits that seem to work well. These habits quickly become ingrained and viewed as ‘the way to do things.’
But leadership is broad, and leaders are varied. What worked ten or twenty years ago likely isn’t going to work today across every individual and every team. The workplace is a vibrant and diverse place, and while there are commonalities leaders can tap into, openness and willingness to try new things is vital.
It’s critical to recognise the evolving science and evidence of leadership, and that the ways leadership benefits an organisation have changed - as have the expectations of leaders from teams!
5. Leaders don’t need to prioritise ‘relationships’.
There’s a mindset that permeates leadership circles that moving into a leadership role means moving away from having to manage people.
The truth is, none of those outcomes will be good if you allow positive, engaged relationships with teams to take a backseat.
As a leader, you set the tone for the entire organisation - and that includes how people interact, respect and work together. Positive interpersonal relationships with everyone should be the utmost priority for leaders.
Below the Line?
If you felt there was a bit of a theme emerging from some of these myths that seemed familiar, you’re not wrong. Many of them correlate with aspects of Below the Line leadership.
These commonly held myths create division and can lead to a set of behaviours, beliefs and actions that are not healthy or responsible from a psychological and human perspective. By taking the time to reflect on what common leadership ideas or myths you might be acting from, you open the door to a new way of thinking about leadership for your teams, self-leadership for yourself and the type of leader you want to be.
If you want to learn more about Above the Line leadership, and specifically where you might currently sit on the line within your own leadership approach, my book Leading Above the Lineis a great place to start.
Further insight
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