Leadership Pitfalls: Top 3 Fears Women Need to Avoid When Leading the Pack
Leadership Pitfalls: Top 3 Fears Women Need to Avoid When Leading the Pack
Fort Wayne IN Nov. 18, 2010 – Influence Expert, Dr. Karen Keller, addresses the ‘terrors’ that many women experience when they become leaders in their companies or self-owned entrepreneurial endeavors.
According to Keller, “Women are natural born leaders. You are intuitively determined to be a ‘servant leader’. . . motivated by the desire to serve. Not based on the pyramid shaped model of top-down or coercive style. Leading is our conscious choice – one where we accept the VALUE in serving as a way of leading.”
She adds, “In the effort of becoming a servant-leader you need to be aware of and avoid specific pitfalls that will trip you up EVERY time. They get in your way of rising to the occasion of leading with these VERY significant core values . . . protecting dignity, showing empathy, practicing stewardship and leading with wisdom.”
The ‘top 3’ pitfalls women need to avoid in leadership, according to Dr. Keller include:
1. Fear of rejection. People refuse to follow for whatever reason. They don’t connect with your direction. They run in circles to avoid carrying out your plans.
Remedy: Accept that you will not be all things to all people. It’s more important to be the one thing to the thing that matters most.
2. Fear of making an error or ‘bad call’. You are off base – something went wrong. People and teams scatter and you are left holding the bag.
Remedy: Know there is no possibility of solid leadership without making mistakes on the way. Be caring and compassionate to yourself as you would a person on the team.
3. Fear of developing a huge EGO. You become self-centered, egocentric, and viewing yourself as indispensable. Soon, your ego precedes you with those you lead.
Remedy: Don’t demand the limelight or praise. Do the tough work without expecting the glory. In fact, direct the glory toward your followers – then see what happens!
Keller concluded, “Becoming aware and DOING something about these potential fears BEFORE they become pitfalls is the key. Learning to become a servant-leader is an admirable leadership goal for women who want to move ahead leaving a ‘leadership legacy’.
For the complete list of ‘Top 5’ Leadership Terrors to Avoid, or to sign up for a free subscription to Influence It! Real Power For Women, visit http://karen-keller.com/2010/11/18/how-to-overcome-the-5-terrors-of-leading-the-pack/
About Dr. Keller
Karen Keller, Ph.D. is an expert in women’s leadership and assertiveness training. She is also a successful entrepreneur and author. She specializes in the skills of influence and persuasion, executive coaching, mentoring, sales techniques, management development training, motivational speaking, personal life coaching, and corporate training. Discover Influence It! Real POWER for Women now! For your free subscription visit www.karen-keller.com.
