The biggest falacy that I see surrounding leadership is that leaders should be the most powerful people in an organization. I think the best leaders are those who don’t wield power, but empower others. Leaders inspire people to care about things that are important, then step back and allow their team to do their jobs. Leaders are open-minded, allow for others to provide feedback (even when s/he disagrees), and genuinely support their teammates.

The traditional hierarchical approach is an outdated concept. I see it as everyone having a critical role in the organizational structure, with the leader(s) ensuring that the vision and strategy for the organization are top of mind. I have learned quite a bit while leading a team. Most of what I have learned that I infuse in my day-to-day is unfortunately based on correcting my own negative experiences with poor managers. I hope we don’t keep making the same mistakes, as history has shown us the impact of negative leadership in all areas!

Rachel Werner, MPA, GPC, PMP, Owner & CEO of RBW Strategy

#WednesdayWisdom #LeadershipLessons