4 Signs You're Becoming The Leader You Promised You Wouldn't
"One day when I'm in charge I'll do things differently." Said every person who has ever lived.
And yet, there seems to be no shortage of leaders and bosses and teachers of various kinds who have become the type of leaders they promised they wouldn't become.
Perhaps you're wondering if that is happening to you? After all, how do you ensure you'll do things a better way?
While none of us are perfect leaders, there are signs that we are becoming the type of leader we always said we wouldn't be. Below are four warning signs that show if we are becoming that type of leader.
1. You're comfortable with where things are
On the one hand, comfortableness is actually a good sign. It likely shows you are becoming more confident and knowledgeable in what you are doing and your skills are improving. On the other hand, comfortableness leads to complacency and the potential to lead on auto-pilot.
And while good leaders shouldn't want to get too comfortable, it is wise to learn to be content. Being content means we don't find our value or happiness in the success of what we do. Being comfortable means we don't want to put in the work to get better.
For example, as a pastor, I want New City Church to grow and reach more people for Jesus, but I don't want my self-worth to be dependent on the size of our church. I want to be content but not comfortable.
The reality is there are always things that can be tweaked and improved. And if I become comfortable with the state of our church, then issues that could make us healthier and better suited to serve our people aren't addressed.
Comfortable leaders like the status quo, they don't challenge it.
2. You're afraid to take any more risks
When we get comfortable, we certainly don't try things that could be risky. The lack of desire to try new things is easily one of the most frustrating qualities of poor leaders.
We've all been in situations where a boss or teacher or mentor wasn't even open to trying or hearing something new. So when we ourselves never take any risks, we unintentionally become the very same type of leader.
Or put another way, when was the last time you tried an idea that someone else came up with and brought to your attention? If we never take feedback and ideas from others, we will be viewed as someone who is afraid to try new things (or at least things you can't take the credit for).
Yes, it is easy to take risks and try new things when the stakes are low. But as our responsibilities and impact increases, if we never try anything new, we also limit our own personal growth. No one is energized by complacent leaders, and complacent leaders never take any risks.
3. You're more worried about how you're perceived than doing what is right
The older you get and the more influence you have, the harder this becomes. It's easy not to worry about how you're perceived when no one knows who you are. When you have a reputation or image to maintain, it can be harder to do what you know is right because people who don't have all of the information you have can easily judge unpopular decisions you may make.
On the one hand, our character matters. We should care about how people view us in that regard. At the same time, having integrity means doing the right thing even in the face of opposition or making an unpopular decision.
When we begin to make decisions based on how we might be perceived, we're not leading the way that we should. We're leading in ways that we promised we wouldn't before we got into our current position. And sometimes, the very thing people may not like in the moment is what is best for them and the organization long term.
If we are afraid of how we are perceived over doing what is right, we are not only doing ourselves a disservice, but also the people and organizations we lead.
4. You don't spend any time planning and dreaming about the future
As your responsibilities increase its easy to get sucked into maintaining all you have to do. In the beginning you had more time to dream and plan for the future, but now your task list is much longer and harder. It's not that you don't want to plan and dream about the future, you just don't seem to have the time.
I get it. In the early days of New City Church where I lead, there were fewer things I had to do. We were smaller numerically, we had fewer ministries and things going on as a church, and there were fewer people to meet with.
As things have grown, so have my responsibilities. This means planning for the future only happens if I put it on my schedule.
Interestingly, scheduling time for it often isn't the hardest part. In my experience, many leaders (myself included) feel guilty taking time to think and plan when they could be working and getting things done. But good and effective leaders are not the ones who do everything, but ones who can focus on what they do best and what brings the most value to the organization.
If you're a leader, your vision is crucial to the success of your organization no matter its size. Without plans for the future, we become comfortable leaders who are afraid of taking any risks because we don't know what we are taking a risk for.
Be sure to take time to plan and dream for the future, and the best way to do it is to make sure you put it on your schedule.
The best leaders are intentional leaders
You don't have to be the most talented or skilled person in the room to be a good leader, you just have to be intentional. Strong leaders are intentional with their time, with the people they lead, and with the decisions they make. Comfortable leaders, leaders who avoid taking risks, leaders who are driven by perception, and leaders who don't take the time to plan for the future are simply leaders who have become unintentional in what they do.
Stay focus on your goals and be intentional on how you hope to accomplish them. When you do that, you won't become the leader you promised you wouldn't be.