10 Lies Leaders Believe

“My way is the best way.” 

“If you want something done right, you have to always do it yourself.”

“24 hours in a day is not enough time.”

Lies come with leadership and sometimes the biggest enemy to your leadership is…you. In my experience, in any leadership setting it is inevitable that lies will creep in. Almost all of the lies you hear in your leadership are foundationally, “I am more important than I really am.”

These lies become even easier to believe when things are going well. You are busy, feeling productive with no end in sight. The first lie most believe is that this is all happening because you think, “I must be doing something right.”

I have compiled a short list of ten of some of the most dangerous lies a leader believes:

1.   It’s just a one-time thing.

2.   It’s okay. No one will notice.

3.   If only I had more money.

4.   There is just not enough time.

5.   If I forget about it, the problem will go away.

6.   I talk about my mission, values, vision, and purpose enough.

7.   They will forgive and forget my reactions.

8.   I am the only one that can do this right.

9.   My way is the best way.

10.  I got away with it last time. I can get away with it this time.

Some additional thoughts:

There is nothing worse for a leader than to have once cut a corner and gotten away with it. Because the next time an opportunity presents itself to exaggerate the truth or to take a financial short cut, the temptation can be almost irresistible. You are slowly losing your integrity. Once you get away with any short cut, it becomes virtually impossible not to make that short cut the normal direction of travel. You will try it again. You will begin to believe this “one-time” thing is not as bad as you originally thought since you got away with it.

When a leader makes a mistake, it is important to fess up and own that mistake as soon as possible. Coming clean or owning up to a mistake most likely will not disqualify you from leadership; however, hiding the fact will. Don’t believe lies that WILL rob you of integrity, accountability, trust, and character.

A leader’s fall happens one little lie at a time.

Resist these lies at all costs.

What lies did I miss?

What do you do to combat these lies?