What Are Some Barriers To Leadership Development: 15 Obstacles

Today you’re going to learn what are some barriers to leadership development.

Every growth process in the world requires some challenges to be faced. This is an inevitable block in the path to success to make sure that you come out the best in your field.

You need to battle many leadership barriers to be able to lead your subordinates the best way you possibly can and to ensure that the business will thrive as well.

Here are some barriers that you need to watch out for so you can avoid them and come up with the perfect solutions when you encounter such.

What Are Some Barriers To Leadership Development:

1. It Can’t Happen to You

Leaders should not only be positive thinkers but negative thinkers as well. You need to think about scenarios and things that might prevent and hinder growth and development of your company.

If you believe that such things can’t happen, then it can leave you unprepared for the worst case scenarios.

2. Avoiding Mistakes

It is necessary to commit mistakes in order for you to grow. There are lessons that you will learn to help you become the best leader and to come up with the best products and services as well.

But don’t allow too many mistakes to be committed as this can halt the development of the business.

3. Always Refusing to Get Help

Even if you are the leader, this does not mean that you are the most knowledgeable and that you know and can do everything.

There will come a time when you will need the help of other people and asking for such does not mean you are weak. This only means that you work with a team and that you need each other in order to grow and become successful in life.

4. Failing to Ask the Right Things

You need to ask and demand for the right things in order for you to lead better. Whatever it is that you need to help you do your job and your new role better, think about it first before asking for the things that you need.

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5. Not Allowing your Team to Do its Job

It is important that you trust your subordinates and team members to do their job perfectly. Do not supervise them constantly and hover around inspecting what they are doing as this can hinder them from doing their best.

Just trust that they will do what you ask them to do and they will perform for your team better.

6. Build your Functional Credibility

You need to build your credibility if you are leading a team (1) with a special set of expertise. You need to show them that you have the necessary qualifications and knowledge to lead them and that you have the expertise to be an example to them.

You will the person they will go to when they encounter problems and you need to be able to address such concerns.

7. Build your Leadership Credibility

It is important to build functional credibility but more than that, leadership credibility is what you should work on the most.

You should have the necessary skills and expertise to become a leader and not just a functional one but a real leader who can motivate his subordinates and make the team work well.

8. Picking up New Tools

When a leader becomes more of a credible leader than a functional one, they let go of yesterday’s tools and use new, relevant tools that they can use today.

This is not an easy thing to do and requires great fortitude from a leader. You need to pick up new tools if you want to lead your people better today.

9. Inability to Face the Power they have

There are some leaders who feel uncomfortable with the power that they hold over their subordinates. This is a hurdle that you need to overcome if you want to be a great leader.

Don’t hold back with the power and responsibility bestowed upon you. Embrace it but remember to not be abusive as well.

10. Remembering Everything

Sometimes a really good memory can be your undoing.

When you have a rough day or when someone commits a mistake, a leader with a good memory will remember everything and it can affect the way you treat and handle your subordinates.

You should learn to forget and let go of some things in order to lead people better.

11. Not Giving Feedback

This is important to give your subordinates if you find that there are some things that they need to work on.

You need to be able to translate to them if there are things that needs to be changed and what they can do about it. It is important to provide feedback to your people if you want to develop a good relationship with them.

12. Not Making Any Time for your People

As mentioned above, it is important that you allow your people to work alone.

But that does not mean that you shouldn’t make time for them and just let them be. You need to allot some time with meeting them and hanging out with them so you know the progress of your projects and to know your people better as well.

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13. Too Friendly

There are some leaders who are just too friendly with their employees. This can be the downfall of a leader as some employees might abuse you. Make sure you set boundaries and act professionally when in work.

14. Undefined Goals

Setting goals that is attainable and reachable is important if you want people to work really well.

Failing to define goals can result in your people being too complacent with the work then cramming when the deadline is near which can result in poor performances.

15. Failing to Delegate

As mentioned above, it is okay to ask for help when you need one. This includes delegating the job (2) that is handed to you.

Some leaders think that no one apart from them has the necessary skills to do the job when in fact, if you delegate not only will it result in better performances but also faster results.

These are just some of the common challenges a leader will have to face. Once you have overcome these challenges, you will sure to come out as one of the best leaders there is.

I want to thank you for taking the time to read my article about what are some barriers to leadership development. I sincerely hope its contents have been a good help to you.

Przemkas Mosky
Przemkas Mosky started Perfect 24 Hours in 2017. He is a Personal Productivity Specialist, blogger and entrepreneur. He also works as a coach assisting people to increase their motivation, social skills or leadership abilities. Read more here