Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There!

A common misconception for young leaders is that they must always be doing something.  They must be active, taking point and making decisions.  I deliver this observation from a firsthand accounting:  I was that type of young leader.   The reasons for my belief of needing to be active at all times can be attributed to these items:

• Lack of experience
• Lack of self-confidence
• Not understanding how to delegate
• The misconception that the leader can never appear to be relaxing
• The desire for perfection
• Doggedly pursuing a goal

If you looked at this list and felt resonance with any of them (or most of them!), then you have my camaraderie.  The fact is, everyone in a leadership position faces these challenges at some point in their journey.

Over the next six weeks (a.k.a. my next six posts here on Engineering.com) I’ll deep-dive into each one and provide resources for helping one to address and overcome these natural leadership challenges.  If you’ve never faced these challenges, then congratulations!  I’d love to hear how you sidestepped them and learn about what you did.

Experiencing these challenges doesn’t mean that you’re not cutout to be a leader.  Every person is a leader in some context and every person can become an exceptionally effective leader as they progress through these basic six challenges.

With 2015 right around the corner, this is a perfect time to re-set, re-group and plan for a year of growth in our leadership effectiveness.  Onward!

Christian Knutson, P.E., PMP is a leader, civil engineer, and author.  He’s an accomplished professional specializing in A/E/C work internationally and author of The Engineer Leader, a recognized blog on leadership and life design for engineers and professionals.