You love to learn.

Most leaders do.

That eagerness for learning makes you listen from a place of curiosity and “not knowing.”

And that’s good because learning leadership is not the same as, for example, learning a language.

If you’re in France and you don’t know a certain word in French, you can look it up in one of these convenient travel dictionaries or on your smart phone.

But in leadership you can’t quickly look up an approach for the right thing to say, for example, during a crucial conversation or a staff meeting.

This makes it even more important to grow and develop your leadership. You need to strengthen that leadership muscle.

During this process of continuous study and growth you’ll get some bad advice along the route – the kind that will derail your leadership, big time.

No question about it.

First as a manager, and then as an interim manager, I’ve gotten my portion of bad advice. Some caused damage; other advice helped me grow as an executive coach. It can be helpful to know what NOT to do.

Here are five pieces of well-intentioned advice that ask for one thing: IGNORE. 

1 – “You’ve got to be experienced at the content to able to lead that department”

Heard From: Employees. Managers.

Sometimes employees think that the person who manages their department needs to be an expert at their specific content. So, a manager of a health department needs to know about health, a manager of an HR department needs to know the ins and outs of HR.

You get the idea.

Interest in the material.

Yes.

But knowledge of all the ins and outs?

No.

This advice has led to bad decisions in which people good at the content were promoted to a management position. And this happens often!

Guess what?
Leadership is a profession. Leadership requires a passion for change and for connecting from respect with other people.

That’s what we – leaders in the LeadershipBeyond community – believe in.

2 – “Use the Sandwich Approach for Feedback.”

Heard From: Management advisors.

Especially when you first start as a manager you look for advice on giving feedback. One advice – heard often – is to use the sandwich approach: something good, something not so good, and something good.

The sandwich approach is easy on the manager: Hey, look what a cool manager I am: two good things and only one not that good.

The sandwich approach is hard on the employee. Why? Because what sticks is the good news. The one thing that needs to improve – and most likely the most important thing for the manager – is hidden between all the good stuff.

Guess what?
Your employee deserves to get feed back. Honest, direct, and respectful feedback. Giving feedback is not about you but about the employee. Giving feedback is about guiding the employee to growth.

That’s what we – leaders in the LeadershipBeyond community – believe in.

3 – “Need to adopt a certain leadership style.”

Heard From: Bosses. Motivational speakers.

Motivational speakers are great at motivating the audience. I’m always in awe just listening to some of them. Super speakers. But don’t follow this advice: You need to adopt this recommended leadership style.

Authenticity is what counts in leadership.

Not accepting a style that worked for someone else, your boss or that motivational speaker.

Be authentic and honor your experience, your values, and your style. Then lead from that authenticity in a respectful and connecting way.

So, save us from the bosses and speakers who want mindless imitations of themselves.

Guess what?
Leadership is all about being authentic. Leadership requires the courage to look inside and be who you know you can be as a leader.

That’s what we – leaders in the LeadershipBeyond community – believe in.

4 – “Hire slow, fire fast.”

Heard From: Tons of leadership, management advicers.

The problem is the second part: fire fast. Have you ever tried to fire someone in a government organization? That can take a long time. Yes, hire slow, document fast.

Guess what?
Leadership occurs in all kinds or organization. Stayed tune to what is possible in your organization around hire-and-fire and act accordingly.

That’s what we – leaders in the LeadershipBeyond community – believe in.

5 – “You don’t need a coach or mentor.”

Who Said It: Bosses.

Are you kidding me? As if, now that you’re in a leadership or management position, your flaws instantly disappear. Of course not. You need someone as a leader to keep you on track and hand you a mirror.

That’s why I hire the best coaches I can think of for myself. And that, with my 25 plus years of leadership experience.

Guess what?
Leadership is about continuous growth. Invest in that, invest in yourself, invest in others. You deserve it, your employees deserve it, your organization deserves it.

That’s what we – leaders in the LeadershipBeyond community – believe in.