There are several myths about leadership, such as being frightening, decisive, and outgoing. Even though they are excellent traits for a leader to possess, they could be the main deterrents for certain people from pursuing leadership positions.
For those whose personalities do not quite fit the pattern of a leader, tey might end up missing out on some excellent opportunities for rewarding initiatives, promotions, higher incomes, and a stronger sense of accomplishment. The top five myths about leadership that require debunking are listed below:
1. Position determines leadership
There is no job description for leadership. True leadership comes through influence; a true leader works side by side with the rest of the team, offering advice while also contributing their fair share to the team's efforts to advance the organization.
2. Leadership is the same with management.
Do you manage others or do you lead others? Executing a task, job, and responsibility is what management is all about. Meanwhile, leadership is about inspiration. A leader tends to be more of a visionary, paying attention to the broad picture.
3. Leadership cannot be taught.
That statement, "Leaders are born, not made," could not be further from the truth. While it's true that some people are just naturally born leaders, the majority of people study, observe, and develop their leadership skills over time.
4. Leadership means always being at the forefront.
On the contrary, being a leader does not require becoming a workaholic. Leaders are adept at juggling their personal and professional life. Effective leaders are aware of their limitations and what they may expect of themselves without being burnt out. They set aside time for refueling and take a break to unwind and think. They share this knowledge with their teams as well.
5. Leadership is not a skill.
It's not a set of strategies you can use to persuade people to act in a certain way. Your leadership abilities will improve, but you must first establish yourself as a leader in order to employ your skills. Skills don’t make the leader. The leader makes the skills.
Nobody should ever feel unqualified to serve as a leader. Practically speaking, it would be ideal to know what would be best for the company depending on the industry you work in, but it's also critical to know what it takes to inspire a team, have faith in them, be able to inspire excitement and passion for how the team is performing, and always keep them informed about the company's future plans. Remember, don't believe these myths about leadership.
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