Four Outdated Leadership Habits That Are Holding You Back

Thank you for listening to The Champion Forum Podcast with Jeff Hancher. We all know that what got us here won’t get us there—but knowing it isn’t the same as living it. The truth is that some of the leadership skills that made leaders successful 10 years ago are now liabilities. We hold onto skills, behaviors, and mindsets because they helped us win in the past. And we confuse what’s familiar with what’s effective. The world has undergone significant changes, and we must adapt our skills and approaches accordingly. Today, we’ll talk about the obsolete skills leaders are clinging to and what we should be doing instead.

Obsolete Skill #1:

The Old Way: Command and Control Management

Many experienced leaders were once taught that it is their job to tell, direct, and inspect. This skill was helpful when the workplace was driven by compliance and repetition. However, today, knowledge is rapidly expanding. If you shut down your team’s creativity and ability to take ownership of their personal development, you will limit engagement and drive your best employees to seek other opportunities.

The Upgrade: Collaborative leadership.

You ensure the goals are clear, but work with your employees to co-create solutions and approaches. Together, you create the path and mutually agree to it.

Q: Have you ever seen a leader who practiced command-and-control leadership? How did it affect the team? What did the team do to compensate for their behavior?

Obsolete Skill #2: 

The Old Way: Always Having the Answers

For a long time, being “the smartest person in the room” was considered a hallmark of good leadership. But the speed of change has outpaced one person’s ability to know it all. Trying to be the answer bank is exhausting and unnecessary. Ultimately, it will hurt your team’s ability to trust and relate to you.

The Upgrade: Learn to be the guide, not the guru.

To master the art of being a guide, ask better questions. By practicing active listening and openly seeking advice, input, and feedback, you will foster an environment where people feel safe sharing their ideas.

Q: Why do you think leaders feel pressure to have all the answers? Is there anything you can do as an employee or even a leader of leaders to help lessen that burden?

Obsolete Skill #3:

The Old Way: Delegating Tasks

There was a time when “delegation” meant handing off duties so you could focus on strategy. However, outstanding leadership today is about developing others to think, lead, and take ownership, rather than just executing tasks.

The Upgrade: Delegate outcomes, not just action items.

Give people a “what” and a “why,” then let them design the “how.”

Q: What are some tasks you delegate to your team? Why did you choose those tasks? How could you reframe those tasks to make them more empowering?

Obsolete Skill #4:

The Old Way: Valuing Tenure Over Adaptability

Tenure is not the same as transformation. In today’s environment, adaptability often trumps longevity.

The Upgrade: Celebrate learning agility. 

Promote people who are growing, not just those who’ve been around. Demonstrate to your team that you expect everyone to continually improve, and establish the standard through your own actions.

Q: Have you ever seen someone get promoted because of their tenure over a more capable, advanced team member? What were the results? How did it affect the team? What happened to team members who were growing and expanding their skills? Did they stay or find a new opportunity?

Action Activities:

1. What obsolete skill are you clinging to? If you don’t know what that is—ask your team. “What’s one thing I do as a leader that might be outdated?” Their answers will be gold if you’re brave enough to hear them.

2. What leadership skills do you think are the most crucial to your current success? Could you see any of them becoming obsolete in the future? Why or why not? Are there any leadership skills you want to develop that you think will stand the test of time? What are they? Identify some resources that can help you grow in those areas and schedule time to invest in them.