In the case of far too many leaders, it can be uncomfortable to challenge employees to dream big dreams and go where “no one has gone before.” Successful leaders know they have to forge new ground that “we’ve never done this before, but I’m going to lead you there.”

In this new remote world, we’re more dependent on others to step forward. It's important to recognize the various behaviors that can disengage and alienate allies.

Here are several polarizing behaviors leaders can exhibit:

There is no place in leadership for uncontrolled anger. It conveys fear, disrespect, lack of control, and a lack of concern for those on the receiving end.
The stresses that come with the leadership journey are indeed exhaustive and possibly debilitating. Still, it isn't our employees' obligation to be a leader’s emotional source of support.
This really is why it's essential to seek out healthy options and communities of support to release or share our frustrations.
Leaders ought to be careful about what they hang down to motivate their employees. When a leader makes a promise, employees have a right to expect follow-through.
Frequently, leaders share ideas in the heat of a conversation, not realizing that employees are taking every word to heart. When leaders propose ideas, employees may hear them as commands or promises.

A failure to deliver on a promise, regardless of how large or small violates the trust of employees.

About Jim Woods

Jim Woods is President of Woods Kovalova Group Training. We enable managers and frontline employees to have meaningful conversations on race and reimagine diversity and inclusion programs that matter. His firm and partners have advised, trained, and coached individuals and organizations from over 30 countries since 1998. He is an author of 3 leadership books and two for children. Happily married to his business partner Lucy Kovalova-Woods their work has helped individuals and leaders in companies such as MITRE, Whirlpool, U.S. Army, and Chevron. Book a Zoom meeting with Jim.