Extreme Absolutes Are Neon Signs of Leadership Immaturity | #PeopleSkills
by Kate Nasser | Comments Off on Extreme Absolutes Are Neon Signs of Leadership Immaturity | #PeopleSkills
When people communicate with extreme absolutes, they broadcast their immaturity. When leaders lead through extreme absolutes, they flash a neon sign of their leadership immaturity. Extreme absolutes tell others you need absolute power and control. It shows a lack of emotional intelligence and ability to collaborate. Prevent this from being your professional image.
Extreme Absolutes: Neon Sign of Immaturity
Why Extreme Absolutes Are a Neon Sign of Immaturity
- There are very few things in life that are absolute and unchangeable. Change is always happening. Operating from the absolute perspective shows you’re out of touch. People want to tell you to grow up and get real.
- Extreme absolutes are often fear based. This broadcasts immaturity. People wonder if you will childishly seek revenge to keep absolute control.
- When dealing with human issues, the truth is rarely black and white. Leading from the black and white view shows a huge gap in your emotional intelligence.
Extreme absolutes say, my view is the only view that matters. This paints you as a childish narcissistic ego maniac. It broadcasts that different perspectives scare you.
Prevent this from being your professional image.
- Rid your speech of absolute phrases that accuse others. E.G. You always, you never, all you’ve done is, all people are _________. They make you seem immature and biased.
- Engage others in dialogue instead of demanding that they follow you. Immature leaders focus on establishing authority through control. Mature leaders build trust by engaging others.
- Be confident enough to change your mind in the face of evidence. It shows great maturity. Don’t believe that admitting you were wrong weakens your authority.
- Embrace innovating thinking. Immature leaders and teammates grasp on to status quo and best practices as a security blanket. These extreme absolutes are broadcast their immaturity like a flashing neon sign. You can do far better than that. Show everyone your innovative thinking and how it strengthens the business.
- Work through ambiguity to reach solutions. Immaturity drives people to jump to premature conclusions and even false solutions. It’s a quick escape from the discomfort of ambiguity. Mature leaders and teammates engage each other to work through the grey zone to reach the end zone.
Assess how you come across to others. Do you speak with extreme absolutes or think you are the only one with the answers? Do you seem inflexible and controlling of others? Would people use the word authoritarian or even selfish about you? You can change this. Replace extreme absolutes with mature openness and collaboration.
From my professional experience to your success,
Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™
Related Posts:
Business Lessons From Unlimited Extremes
The Weakness of Extreme Strength
Do You Work With a ME First Attitude?
Emotional Intelligence: Do You Think For Yourself or Only About Yourself?
Leadership: Persistence vs. Resistance to Change
©2017 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. I appreciate your sharing the link to this post on your social streams. However, if you want to re-post or republish the content of this post, please email info@katenasser.com for permission and guidelines. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.
Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™, delivers coaching, consulting, training, and keynotes on leading change, employee engagement, teamwork, and delivering the ultimate customer service. She turns interaction obstacles into interpersonal success. See this site for workshop outlines, keynote footage, and customer results.
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