3 Leadership Mistakes to Avoid in 2024

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“Experience is making mistakes and learning from them.” - Bill Ackman

Ponder this…

If you’ve ever felt a bit over your head in your leadership role, you aren’t alone. The Peter Principle, which highlights that competent people are often promoted into jobs that require skills outside their expertise, is a very real phenomenon. With very few exceptions, most leaders don’t receive much development support from their organization when they’re promoted, so major knowledge and skill gaps are common. It’s no wonder that nearly 50% of promoted people underperform up to 18 months after assuming their roles. 

While new leaders are the most vulnerable to knowledge gaps, even the most seasoned leaders aren’t immune. Here are three common mistakes leaders make when they get promoted - and how to avoid them. 

Mistake #1: Not realizing you’re in the spotlight. 

No matter how egalitarian an organization claims to be, social hierarchy is inherent to its structure. When you’re in a more senior position, all eyes are on you, and your power influences how others perceive you. Many leaders - especially new ones - fail to recognize this, unintentionally exhibiting behaviors that hinder their effectiveness or overlooking opportunities to model the positive behaviors they want from their team.

What to do instead:

As you rise in the ranks, your self-awareness must rise along with you. Your status naturally attracts attention, and your team (consciously and unconsciously) monitors your words and actions to determine how to interact with you. After all, you’re in charge of their success and development; as such, your choices will impact their behavior, emotional states, and the overall team culture. Leaders don’t have the freedom to speak or act without thinking. You must consider how your words and actions will influence and affect the people around you and whether that impact is in the best interest of your organization. As you go into meetings and your other interactions, ask yourself, “How do I need to show up here?” and manage your actions, words, and expressions to align your intent with your desired impact.

When you’re promoted, your manager and other leaders will also be expecting you to level up your leadership presence, an amalgam of qualities and behaviors that convey confidence, competence, and credibility in a business setting. You can improve your leadership presence by asking trusted colleagues to observe you and provide feedback about how you can be more impactful.

Mistake #2: Choosing hubris over humility.

When a leader feels in over their head in their new role and insecure, some will mask their feelings by acting like they have it all figured out. But covering up something you don’t know is a missed opportunity to learn. It can also lead to poor decision-making and a dip in trust and credibility if you’re caught faking your knowledge and understanding. 

What to do instead:

Choose humility over hubris. The truth is that you can’t know everything, and great leaders aren’t afraid to ask thoughtful questions to close knowledge gaps and gather the information they need to lead well. 

Humility requires curiosity, and curiosity leads to learning. And learning - which leads to high performance and continuous improvement - should be the primary agenda for you and your team. When you ask for help and listen to feedback from others, you set an important example for your team to do the same. Remember that questions don’t make you look incompetent — pretending to know something that you don’t, does.

Mistake #3: Failing to ask for feedback.

There are many reasons leaders don’t ask for feedback. Some fear criticism or view it as a sign of weakness. Some have had negative experiences with feedback, while others are simply unaware of its significance for their performance and growth.

However, to succeed in your role, you must understand how your actions and decisions are perceived. Feedback will give you the information you need to adjust your approach when your behavior doesn’t line up with expectations.

What to do instead:

Seek direct and specific feedback from your manager, team, and key stakeholders. Many people are hesitant to provide feedback, especially to their managers. So, start by asking for positive feedback to make them feel more at ease - most people find that easier to give. Ask, “What are one or two things I’m doing well so far?” If offered a general response, like, “You’re off to a good start,” push for specifics by saying something like, “Can you tell me a few things you’ve been pleased with so I can continue down the right path?”

Once the other person feels comfortable, you can solicit ideas for improvement going forward. Asking future-oriented questions can help you circumvent people’s hesitations to provide critical feedback. For example, ask your manager, “What’s one way I could be more effective in this role moving forward?” Ask your team, “What’s one way I can further support you in your work?” Again, if you receive a general response, push for specifics to get clear and actionable information.

The best leaders know that leadership is a never-ending journey and make continuous efforts to improve, no matter how experienced they are. Count yourself among them by implementing the actionable solutions above, and you’ll avoid the pitfalls that can lead to underperformance. 

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