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Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
5 Leadership Mistakes Smart Leaders Make And How To Avoid Fails
Even smart leaders make leadership mistakes. Great leaders want to do their best, inspire people and achieve results. But smart leaders are still prone to leadership mistakes that can detract from their team members' satisfaction as well as the leader's own happiness. How important is it to get leadership right? Very. Leaders are tremendously stressed today, so considering how to lead better, and make less mistakes is a worthy discussion. It's also important to ensure that leadership is rewarding for the leaders themselves. In addition, leadership is one of the primary reasons people leave an organization, so great leadership is critical to retention as well as people's commitment and contributions. There are some mistakes that are not only most common, but also the most significant in terms of their effects on people. These are the biggest mistakes to avoid. The number one mistake leaders make is to fail to be transparent in their communication. According to a survey from Robert Walters, 72% of employees lose faith in leaders because they hold back information or because they fail to explain how and why decisions are made. In addition, 71% of people say they can tell when leaders are insincere or when they fake enthusiasm. Avoid leadership mistakes by being open with people and sharing information. Even when information is negative or troubling, give people a sense of what's coming. This will positively affect their feelings of empowerment and control as well as their ability to respond. Of course there will be information that you must keep confidential as a leader, but when you give as much information as you can, or when you're open about the fact that you're not free to share certain points, these behaviors build trust. In addition, people crave certainty, and you can rarely provide it. But you can provide clarity about what you know, what you're exploring, the principles that will guide decision making and how people can prepare themselves for what's next. The second biggest mistake leaders make is to be inconsistent in their behavior. Based on the Robert Walters data, 66% of people say they lose respect for a leader when the leader says one thing and does another. And 62% of people say that they feel disengaged when a leader only communicates with them when the leader needs something. People prefer a bad leader who is consistent over a leader who sometimes good and sometimes poor in an erratic or unpredictable manner, according to a study published by the Academy of Management. Avoid leadership mistakes by demonstrating consistency. Avoid leadership mistakes that set you up to fail. The third biggest mistake leaders make is to fail to be accountable or to follow through. Fully 68% of people in the Robert Walters survey said they left an organization because of empty promises from management. And 44% felt that failure to admit mistakes or take responsibility for their actions had a negative effect on the culture. Avoid leadership mistakes by following through, following up, keeping commitments and keeping promises. These seem simple, but they are significant in building trust, rapport and satisfaction. In addition, at the same time you're confident, also be appropriately humble. Research has shown that when you demonstrate humility, you'll build both trust and credibility. Be humble by avoiding the belief that you have all the answers. Admit mistakes, be open when you don't have the expertise you need and regularly ask people for input. A fourth big mistake that leaders make is to fail to demonstrate concern for employee wellbeing. In fact, 30% of people reported to Robert Walters that this was one of the biggest problems with leaders. And 63% of people said they left an employer because they didn't feel a connection with leadership. Avoid leadership mistakes by ensuring you're empathetic and that you connect with people and demonstrate that you care. Being empathetic is the right thing to do, but it's also good for business. In fact, empathy is one of the most important leadership skills, and it's correlated with all kinds of positive results from greater innovation and engagement to retention and wellbeing. As a leader, you're not responsible for people's wellbeing, but you are responsible to create the conditions for wellbeing, from providing a sense of purpose to ensuring a culture of respect, appreciation and growth. A fifth big mistake leaders make is to micromanage, according to 28% of respondents in the Robert Walters survey. Failing to empower people or failing to provide autonomy, choice or control are mistakes of leadership. Avoid leadership mistakes by delegating and empowering people. When people have greater autonomy, they are more motivated to contribute. In fact, when they have the power of choice, people develop greater skills and capabilities. People want to be treated like grown-ups, and leaders build great teams when employees feel they are trusted and empowered to do meaningful work. Leaders may be making mistakes because they're personally stressed. In fact, 71% of leaders say their stress has increased, and 54% are worried about burning out. Fully 40% have thought about leaving their role in leadership because of their wellbeing. All this is according to data from by DDI. People may also be avoiding leadership entirely. A survey of 27,000 people ages 18-67 in 34 countries by Rand, reported that 39% of people want to avoid career progression. And 57% would avoid work they perceive will negatively affect their work-life balance. The issue may be most acute for Gen Zs who reported they may want to avoid leadership. In fact, Gen Z is 1.7 times more likely than other generations to step away from leadership to preserve their wellbeing, based on the DDI data. You can avoid the biggest leadership mistakes by being self-aware and intentional. No leader is perfect, but when you're able to reflect on your own behaviors and strive to improve, it will mean a lot to the people around you, and contribute to your own wellbeing as well.
Forbes
11-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Beyond Salary: 5 Hidden Forms Of Compensation To Attract Top Talent
There's a distinct line in the sand: work pre-COVID and the work world that followed. One of the most significant shifts since the pandemic began has been the rise of remote and hybrid work. Recently, however, many companies have pushed for a return to the office, questioning the effectiveness of remote work. But another pressing conversation isn't just about where people work. It's about how companies compete for top talent. In today's environment, offering a high salary alone won't cut it. In fact, for many employees, salary isn't the primary reason they stay or leave. According to LinkedIn's latest Workforce Confidence survey of over 4,000 U.S. workers, nearly 40% of Gen Z and millennial employees said they would take a pay cut in exchange for more flexibility. Gen X respondents were less inclined, and baby boomers were even less likely. That's no surprise, given their proximity to retirement. This generational divide reflects a broader shift: Workers are quietly redefining what "compensation" means. Increasingly, it's less about base pay and more about quality of life. CEOs and senior leaders can no longer assume a great salary alone drives loyalty, performance, or long-term retention. As the generational workforce continually shifts, companies that fail to evolve their compensation philosophy won't just appear outdated. They'll be strategically vulnerable. With that in mind, here are five forms of compensation today's employees value. Flexibility emerged as one of the most valued workplace attributes across generations. But this shift is about autonomy, not just choosing between remote and in-office work. Employees, especially shift workers, who comprise 80% of the global workforce, increasingly want control over when and how they work. Flexibility isn't solely about location. It's about rhythms, such as aligning work with energy, not just calendars. Time flexibility signals trust, respect, and, ultimately, freedom. In today's labor market, rigidity isn't just becoming outdated—it's a growing retention risk. Despite generational differences, most workers aren't willing to take a pay cut for a lighter workload. But that doesn't mean workload doesn't matter. The compensation value here is ensuring employees do appropriate and meaningful work, not busy work that could be automated or delegated. In a global survey of 10,000 leaders, burnout was widespread, and the most effective solution wasn't yoga or meditation apps. It was strategic delegation. Chronic overwork erodes productivity and morale. Consider your team's bandwidth a strategic asset and allocate it wisely. Alignment with a company's mission and values is a strong form of currency, especially for younger generations. Alignment of purpose and mission impacts recruitment and retention, day-to-day performance, engagement, and loyalty. Companies that can't compete on salary can often compete here. Employees who feel their work contributes to something meaningful are more engaged and likelier to stay. Genuine engagement doesn't merge because of vague cultural slogans. Contrary to some people, long-lasting engagement is created by stretching people with meaningful challenges and thus offering them depth and significance over surface-level metrics. After workplace flexibility, the next biggest factor workers would accept a pay cut for is upward mobility. On average, just under 30% of employees would make this trade. However, among Gen Z, that number jumps to nearly 50%, which isn't surprising given their runaway and ability to take risks and still recover. However, companies must not take advantage of this and offer up empty promises. Upward mobility must be visible and tangible through leadership development, mentorship, and other growth pathways that grow individuals. Gym stipends and basic health insurance are no longer differentiators. Companies must consider comprehensive, personalized, and proactive wellness to attract and retain top talent. Some options include addressing workplace fatigue, mental health, sleep deprivation, women's health, and environmental factors like lighting or air quality. The future of compensation includes caring for the whole person, not just offering surface-level perks. It's natural for leaders to default to salary when considering compensation: it's measurable, familiar, and historically effective. However, behavior is evolving, and mindsets are shifting. In this new business landscape, the most innovative companies compete not just on paychecks but also on quality of life.
