5 Leadership Pitfalls to Avoid as You Gain Power

As you advance in your career, power can significantly alter your perspective, judgment, and behavior. What’s often overlooked is how power changes those around you. When you hold a position of authority, people may see you less as an individual and more as a symbol of power. They might overvalue your opinions, give you less honest feedback, and be more reluctant to take risks or speak up. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and affect your ability to lead effectively.

Without awareness of these dynamics, you can encounter challenges that undermine your leadership and your organization’s goals. Research shows that poor use of power can demotivate followers and decrease their willingness to contribute. Here are five common leadership pitfalls and strategies to avoid them.

The Rescuer Syndrome

Holding power often comes with the tendency to become the go-to person for solving every problem. This can manifest as giving unsolicited advice, micromanaging, or stepping in to “save” others from their challenges.

Why it’s a problem: Acting as the constant rescuer can make you overly confident, increase your workload, and create a single point of failure. It limits your team’s growth and development, as they become dependent on you rather than learning to solve problems themselves.

How to avoid it:

1. Ask before answering: Make it a habit to ask questions before offering solutions.
2. Evaluate your contributions: Reflect on how often your suggestions are implemented and their effectiveness. Seek anonymous feedback from peers.
3. Support rather than solve: Listen to your team’s concerns and guide them in problem-solving rather than providing the answers.

The Complacency Dilemma

As you gain experience and expertise, you may become less curious and more complacent. You might assume you already know the answers and stop asking questions or seeking deeper understanding.

Why it’s a problem: Complacency can lead to missing critical information and hinder your team’s ability to think critically and solve problems independently.

How to avoid it:

1. Practice inquiry: Ask questions that challenge assumptions and explore different perspectives.
2. Use the “five whys” technique: When faced with a problem, ask “why” repeatedly to uncover deeper issues.
3. Stay engaged: Be present in meetings, avoid distractions, and show genuine interest in your team’s contributions.

The Avoidance Habit

Power can give you the ability to delegate unpleasant tasks or avoid them altogether. This might include dodging difficult conversations, avoiding conflict, or letting poor behavior slide.

Why it’s a problem: Avoiding difficult tasks can weaken your ability to handle them and diminish your team’s trust in your leadership. It sends a message that accountability is optional and lowers engagement.

How to avoid it:

1. Understand your responsibilities: Reflect on your job role accountability and whether you’re fulfilling them.
2. Consider the consequences: Think about the impact of your inaction on yourself, your team, and the organization.
3. Embrace stress: Develop a mindset that views pressure as a growth opportunity rather than a burden.
4. Seek mentorship: Identify areas where you feel inadequate and work with a mentor to improve your skills.

The Friendship Misstep

Power can make you uncomfortable, leading to over-reliance on personal relationships and reluctance to assert your authority. This is especially common when managing former peers.

Why it’s a problem: Failing to embrace your authority can create confusion and instability within your team. It can also allow the most dominant, rather than the most competent, individuals to fill the power vacuum.

How to avoid it:

1. Acknowledge your promotion: Remind yourself why you were chosen for your role and the competence you have.
2. Respect power: Learn from effective leaders and adopt behaviors that reflect responsible use of power.
3. Leverage strengths: Use your personal strengths deliberately and appropriately.
4. Clarify roles: Establish clear expectations and responsibilities with your team to prevent misunderstandings.

The Stress Conundrum

Leadership comes with significant stress and pressure. This can lead to behaviors that spread stress to your team, such as responding poorly to requests or micromanaging.

Why it’s a problem: Stress can create a toxic work environment, reduce creativity and clear thinking, and even increase health risks for your team.

How to avoid it:

1. Manage stress proactively: Engage in activities like mindfulness, exercise, and proper nutrition to maintain your well-being and resilience.
2. Pause before reacting: Take time to reflect before responding to challenging situations.
3. Set communication boundaries: Limit work-related communications to work hours to respect boundaries and allow time for reflection.

In Summary

Navigating these pitfalls requires self-awareness and intentionality. By recognizing and addressing these challenges, you can use your power effectively, support your team’s development, and foster a positive, productive work environment. Remember, power should be a tool for empowerment, not a source of downfall.

At Global Coach Group (GCG), our network of over 4,000+ experienced coaches is dedicated to delivering tailored leadership coaching to help leaders in becoming more self-aware, improving their communication strategies, and ultimately driving better team performance. 

For leaders who want to become coaches or coaches looking to enhance their leadership coaching skills, Global Coach Group (GCG) provides a comprehensive leadership coaching certification program. GCG’s internationally acclaimed coaching tools and resources can help you improve your coaching proficiency and empower you to guide others.