Scott Williams has considerable leadership experience as a prison warden, lead pastor of a congregation that grew to an average weekly worship attendance of over 3,500 during his tenure, consultant, and social media guru. He is also the author of Church Diversity: Sunday the Most Segregated Day of the Week (2011 – read my review here). Recently, he shared his list of “21 Things Leaders Need To Stop Doing.”
- Stop treating your employees like they are just another number and like you own them.
- Stop leading out of fear and insecurity.
- Stop thinking your position or title will make people follow you.
- Stop trying so hard.
- Stop flexing your little short-man syndrome muscles.
- Stop taking all of the credit.
- Stop thinking firing people is the solution to every problem.
- Stop letting days, weeks & months go by without praise & atta’ boys for team members.
- Stop thinking you know more than the individuals who work for you.
- Stop making excuses for not adjusting your style; “That’s just me” doesn’t work.
- Stop promoting and surrounding yourself with “Yes Men.”
- Stop being insensitive to your employee’s life outside of your organization.
- Stop being a fake chameleon, acting different ways with different people.
- Stop micromanaging.
- Stop saying you don’t have time or be unwilling to develop other leaders.
- Stop being unwilling to look, listen, learn, adjust and change.
- Stop having so many closed-door meetings.
- Stop complaining and placing blame on others.
- Stop thinking the bottom line is the only bottom line.
- Stop thinking a little lack of integrity is okay.
- Stop reading the leadership blogs and books if you’re not going to apply the principles.
So What?
Leading well requires a willingness to continue to learn, and to apply such learning to your leading. Read through Williams’ latest list several times to identify three areas that you know you need to stop, then commit to focusing on those areas for the next two weeks.