The views expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
As business leaders, we will develop into overwhelmed by the relentless pursuit of excellence against all odds, from economic downturns to staffing issues. However, at any point in the journey, we may find that our own perspective can get in the way of the vision we had for our company from the starting.
Here are three ways to stop sabotaging your success and business growth—and suggestions on how to break free from this unproductive mindset.
1. Check your ego and stop setting unrealistic expectations for yourself
Being a CEO comes with illusions that you just have to break before you may move forward. People will expect you to have the right answers, expecting you to at all times know what to do. You might be faced with competing demands, believing you have to meet all of them. Another common assumption is that it is best to reach No. 1 in sales, likes, views, revenue—and stay there. You may personally imagine that your employees should never have a bad week or a bad month.
But the truth is, such lofty expectations are less about goal setting and more about ego. I expect my employees to look to me for answers, but I’m perfectly willing to tell them, “I don’t know. Give me a day to research this, and I’ll come up with some possible solutions.” As a legally blind boss, my employees are my eyes, hands, and feet—but I have to steer the ship through the murky waters. Sometimes I bring in experts or delegate these mini-investigations to a few staff members who might have some knowledge of the subject. This allows for a more collaborative effort, quite than Nancy, the barking CEO, making demands and ultimatums over the phone or in a staff meeting.
If we’re having a bad week or my staff is struggling under the weight of unmet goals or seemingly insoluble problems, we talk about it. I ask my team members for their opinions and we chart a course based on that. We are truly in this boat together, and although I’m the captain, I count on my staff to help me through the tough times.
2. Think before you react
In the hustle and bustle of on a regular basis life, decisions should be made. It goes without saying that the best decisions come with a cool head and thoughtful consideration. But that’s not at all times the case. People are prone to desperation, drama, multiple stressors, and even a victim mentality. Some employees thrive in this chaos, and as a business leader, it’s possible you’ll be tempted to overreact. The worst thing we will do as CEOs is to give in to our own overreactions and exacerbate an already volatile situation.
It’s necessary not to let personalities dictate your answers. You have the option to wait before responding to an email. You don’t have to play along with toxic people. You don’t have to answer a cutting query during a budget meeting. You shouldn’t accept one other worker’s characterization until you’ve given the worker who was thrown under the bus a likelihood to respond to the accusations—without the accuser present. Waiting and really pondering through the right answer is higher than letting an emotional worker call the shots. And if You you are not a “reactor”, there is a high probability that your employees may also feel calmer in the workplace.
Even as a top real estate agent in Los Angeles, as much as I wanted and often needed their business, I refused to compromise by keeping toxic clients—individuals who brought goals to the transaction aside from buying a home. I’ve had this uncompromising approach in every business I’ve managed, and I’m quickly learning who are—and who aren’t—my “people.”
3. Stop the cycle of self-doubt
Most of us spend too much time dwelling on failures, missed opportunities, failed partnerships, and losses we’ve suffered. It’s easy to rehash disastrous events as an alternative of examining why they happened and determining what we will do as a company, working together, to change things for the higher. Many employees and CEOs struggle with self-doubt. This problem often accompanies a fear of making mistakes, which might manifest as avoidance behaviors: playing small, following tradition, continuing ineffective practices, or even creating unhealthy boundaries.
To avoid the plague of doubt and its consequences, it is necessary to get rid of the assumption that “I alone can solve all the company’s problems.” One of the hallmarks of doubt is keeping secrets. While we needs to be careful not to reveal information until we are ready to introduce a recent concept, it is necessary to update your team as often as possible. For example, sharing your views on negative events can go a great distance toward building trust with your employees. Being willing to listen to feedback when you present a recent campaign or policy may also increase your staff’s trust in your leadership. Sharing responsibilities will improve morale, which may also strengthen your sense of value in the company. People will feel like working with you because you are showing them that you just truly value your employees as colleagues, peers, and potential leaders. There is nothing more inspiring than watching others grow and develop in their roles in the company; caring about others goes a great distance toward removing your individual sense of unworthiness.
I had only hosted one TV show when I got here up with the idea for a reality show. For every step forward, there have been at least two setbacks. When you begin something recent, you hope you’re building a foundation with a dedicated group. As is often the case with projects like this, we lost team members along the way and had to take on many roles. Ultimately, we ended up with the best people we could. One thing we learned is that by sharing the whole lot—the excellent news and the bad—we will solve almost any problem and move forward together. Success got here from expanding the circle of the right advisors, collaborators, and inspiring co-creators. I used to be not carrying the load alone—and that was liberating.
Final Thoughts
Between the economy, staff shortages, and the rapidly changing digital world, there’s already too much pressure from outside forces to risk creating more pressure from your individual biases. Engaging employees in helping find solutions will encourage everyone to buy into the vision you had for the company when you began—and equip you and your team to build a great future together.