At Vertical, our goal is that every team we work with would become a healthy, resilient, stable team that can withstand any number of challenges. Some leadership characteristics support that vision while others can sabotage it.
Secure leaders build strong teams. Insecure leaders stifle and de-stabilize teams. I can imagine many of you reading this are now thinking "Wait... I sometimes doubt myself. Am I an insecure leader?"
During executive coaching sessions, I've heard some incredibly healthy and effective leaders voice the insecurities that creep into their minds. It's not uncommon to hear things like:
"I didn't navigate that very well. I've been doing this for years and I still have those moments where I wonder if I'm the right person to lead the org."
"I struggle to see my value in this role. Earlier in my career, I had a revenue-generating role and now I'm mostly managing people and answering emails all day. I start to question if I have any value to the bottom line at all."
"Everyone loved the guy who led this team before I got here. I know I have a lot of value to add. I need to look for opportunities to help the team see that I can be a resource. I'm here to help."
"I'm just not feeling very confident in my leadership right now. These are new challenges for me. I worry others won't see me as capable. To be honest, I want to impress them. I want them to think I'm really good at my job, and I'm worried they won't."
The truth is, most people harbor at least some insecurity. Those human insecurities become like a poison to your team when the insecurity is a near-constant emotional state and a core driver of behavior.
Here's why insecure leaders may struggle to build healthy teams:
Insecure leaders expend a lot of energy highlighting their own knowledge, skills, or status as they aim to prove themselves. This can create a relational barrier as those who work with them view them as arrogant. (This isn't to be confused with healthy confidence. Often secure leadership looks like a calm and open confidence, while insecure leadership can be masked in arrogance.)
Insecure leaders are often highly competitive and struggle to collaborate or share success with others. They may take credit for someone else's work, speak poorly of teammates, or publicly correct others. They lack an abundance mindset, seeing the success of others as a barrier to their own success.
Insecure leaders can feel threatened when another person outshines them, so they stifle growth and opportunities for their team. They may lose high potential team members and the team members they keep will be less capable than they could be.
In extreme cases, insecure leaders are so preoccupied with perception management that they employ manipulation or dishonesty with the goal of ensuring others have a high view of them. When people pick up on this, it can lead to a loss of trust and respect.
If you feel like you may be insecure in your leadership, stretch yourself by doing one (or more) of the following:
Celebrate the successes of those you work with. Look for opportunities to acknowledge the great work others are doing.
Stop yourself when you feel the urge to brag or point others to your value. Let your work speak for itself! People notice when good work is happening and arrogance can be a major turnoff when it comes to building healthy relationships in the workplace.
If you manage people, look for an opportunity to give a small amount of leadership away. Who can you raise up and bring behind the curtain? Is there a task or function you traditionally lead that would provide a growth opportunity for someone else?
Look ahead to your next vacation. Prep your team to fully thrive in your absence. Instead of having a long list of things that have to wait until your return, consider training people up to be more resourceful, capable, and self-sufficient. This does not diminish your value. It actually makes you a stronger leader who has built a solid and sustainable team.
When you feel insecure, get in the practice of asking yourself a few self-coaching questions.
What is my fear in this moment?
Is that a valid fear or am I making more of it than I should?
Am I addressing my fear in a healthy way?
How can I show up in a way that supports the longterm health and stability of the team?
Here at Vertical, we believe that every individual has the capacity to move past dysfunctional habits and step into better ways of leading and working with others. If you would like to learn more about how to overcome insecure leadership or any other leadership challenge, reach out to us at info@verticalteamdev.com. We'd love to hear your story and connect you with a coach or a team development opportunity!