7 Things Real Leaders Won’t Ever Say

Real leaders know that how they speak is important but ultimately what they actually say is what may be repeated digitally or on paper. They continuously monitor their words not only at business negotiations with partners, investors or the “big customers," but also carefully pick words for casual talks with subordinates or team mates. They know that respect and trust of all team members let the company achieve the goals they’ve set. In this post, seven things you will never hear them say:

Because I said so, that is why!

A leader builds the culture of communication on the principle of cooperation and respect. Authority and authoritarianism have nothing in common; true leaders know the difference. Knowing the reasons why the issue should be solved in a particular manner helps to understand the essence of the matter and allows to suggest alternatives. In other words, leaders should explain the necessity of the required actions, because blind obedience of employees slows down the optimization of the workflow and affects the outcome.

Who do you think you are?

There is no place for taunting or derogation of a person in a productive team. The core value of a harmonious collective is a principle of equality. Each member has a right to express their own position regarding the question simply because each person is experienced and knowledgeable in the respective area. Once you put yourself above any of your teammates - you will lose respect as a leader and instead of cooperation, you will have a risk of split in the team.

It is not my fault.

Then whose fault is it? Leaders always bear the responsibility for any failures, mistakes and erroneous decisions made in a team. Yes, the leader is only a part of a team; however, the leader is the one who forms the team and delegates tasks. If any of the team members reacts in a wrong way or makes a mistake, which leads to undesirable results, first of all, it is the leader’s fault, because the leading role means attention to details and tracking each process. Personal responsibility for people in the company is the distinctive component of leadership.

I'll handle it myself.

The base of any successful business is teamwork, cooperation, inspiration and coherence of taken actions. Do not underestimate your team - they are experts and have great potential. The best way to use your time effectively is mentorship and delegation of responsibilities. Do not take on all the obligations - let your coworkers learn and perform themselves. Thus, your team will evolve and develop skills for independent working.

I do not care.

Great leaders always care about those they lead. No matter what the issue is - the broken computer, the troublesome customer, or the employee’s health. Once you express indifference or neglect the problem, others will follow your example. They won’t care what your boss will tell you when you, for instance, fail the project.

I am too busy.

Everyone has his own duties at work and they are of more priority for us than the duties of our coworkers. However, the leader should always make time to help others. The good leaders are always there to talk to their people. They provide regular feedback on the performance of their direct reports, give advice, and stay in touch on a personal level. Put the priorities in order and postpone other activities when the matter is really important. Or at least politely suggest the person to wait until you make time to help him or her in their question.

Failure is unacceptable.

We all strive to reach success in our activities and this is the main reason of our efforts and investment. However, it is impossible to prosper in each and every project we take. Failure in one does not mean the collapse of the whole business. Instead of blaming your teammates and wasting money on the unpromising projects, you should take time to analyze the situation and draw up a strategy. A leader can learn from past mistakes and discuss the fact that failure happens with the team, but it is not the reason to give up. Leaders should find the most profit from the lesson taken and lead their teams only forward, to new achievements.

Editor's Note:

After this post had been published, the author advised us that this material had been published elsewhere, so it does not meet our editorial guidelines requiring original content. Because it had already been extensively promoted via our social channels, we are leaving it on our site, but do want to disclose the location where it was originally published. It can be found at Susan Solovic, Small Business Expert, at this link.