The Top 3 Mistakes New Managers & Leaders Make ... (from this coach's perspective)

Whether you are a newly promoted manager, recently hired executive or have been in your position for some time, odds are if you are not ahead of the game, you may make one or more of these potentially costly mistakes:

Mistake #1: Ignoring the obvious

What it looks like: You are the "new person on the block" and there is an unspoken awkwardness between you and your team. A sense of the "unknown" and maybe even some mistrust, depending on whose shoes your are filling and how he or she performed.

Our very social brains "circle" each other, feeling out the other person. Sounds creepy? No, it is normal for our mirror neurons to want to "see" the other person and attempt to predict what you are going to do or say next.

Yet, in this process and especially under stress (i.e., the unknown future), our brains often anticipate the worst case scenario, like "He's too quiet ... just like the last boss and we don't know what he's thinking ... maybe he's going to fire us all." Or "She hasn't asked us how we have been doing things well around here for years ... she's going to just do it her way no matter what we say."

Mistake #2: Failing to manage your emotions

I have seen more senior leaders and CEO's have two year old temper tantrums than my own children did at two. Why is this? My experience has been more senior executives get referred for performance coaching than mid-level managers due to their inability to manage their temper. Is it because top executives are unwilling (or unable?) to manage their emotions? Is it because they don't see a need to do so and the stress builds up along the way until you explode? Or are managers more afraid of losing their opportunity for promotion if they show their frustration, and are therefore more proactive?

My guess:  It is becoming increasingly difficult to manage the overwhelming responsibilities and variables inherent in the Top Dog position.  Richard Boyatzis, author of Resonant Leadership and numerous research articles in area of Leadership Developement, describes "Power Stress" as a unique stress experienced by leaders who in addition to their everyday stress, feel additional responsiblity for the welfare and well being of others: employees, shareholders, etc. The cost of failing is higher, therefore the stress is higher. Stress results in dis-ease ... put those two words together and you'll get the wake up call physically in the form of high blood pressure, heart problems and other stress-related conditions.

Because of the mirror neurons described earlier, when you are come into the office with a scowl or bark at your staff or worse yet use sarcasm or criticism as a management weapon, because emotions are contagious, you've just infected everyone you come into contact with. Now your staff are "carriers" and spread the negativity like the flu to others, including your customers.

Mistake #3: Refusing to acknowledge small wins by your team

Have you ever noticed it's easier to pay attention to what people do wrong than what they do right? This may be for several reasons. First, because our brains are hard-wired to notice the negative more readily and easily (especially under stressful conditions). Second, noticing the negative and ignoring the positive may have been learned. By this I mean your belief that your team doesn't need recognition for doing their job, because that is what they are paid to do.

Research described in Amabile & Kramer's book "The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins To Ignite Joy, Engagement, And Creativity At Work" demonstrates people NEED to recognize small progress and small wins. It truly is the little positive things that make a big difference in our internal world. Yet, ironically the small wins get overshadowed by the BIG screw ups (or even the little screw ups) we experience throughout the day both in our internal world or external environment.  Small wins win BIG.

So focus on finding the small wins and acknowledging the progress we make is not a sign of weakness or patronizing ... as long as it is genuinely felt and communicated.

What about the other mistakes not on this list? Yes, these are just the top three I've noticed recently with my coaching clients ... what would you add to the list and more importantly what have you done to prevent or resolve the mistake?