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Mistakes Leaders Make
May 5, 2014
I have woven a parachute out of everything broken.
-William Stafford

In "4 Mistakes Leaders Keep Making" in Harvard Business Review, Robert Schaffer identifies these behaviors that block organizational change:

Failing to set proper expectations.  Leaders announce shifts in goals or direction without spelling out specifics, saying who's accountable, or setting clear deadlines.  

Excusing subordinates from the pursuit of overall goals.  Managers allow employees to focus narrowly on their units, and so responsibility for companywide performance gets "delegated" upward.

Colluding with staff experts and consultants.  Executives permit experts to deliver solutions without assuming responsibility for their outcomes.

Waiting while associates prepare, prepare, prepare.  Endless preparation gives the illusion of progress but ultimately gets in the way.





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Comments (1)

Displaying 1 Comment
Francis · May 05, 2014
Denver, CO, United States


I am not sure I agree with this list. My four mistakes are:

1) Playing favorites with some staff members

2) Not advocating for staff in meetings with organizations and people that impact the program - especially those that set the salaries and spending priorities. Staff have to know their best interests are represented by their boss!

3) Not getting "down and dirty" . Leaders must show they can do what everyone else does; that it is not beneath them.

4) Not managing by walking around. Nothing beats personal contact with each employee - regardless of their position!



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