Don't Give Advice When You're A Leader

How are you supposed to give advice when you're a leader? The short answer is: you don't. Giving advice can make it seem like you’re trying to tell someone what to do, which will destroy your relationship with that person and potentially hinder their ability to be successful. Plus, people who are good leaders aren’t afraid of tough conversations, so they know how to communicate with others effectively without being condescending or patronizing. So if you want to be considered a good leader, here are some tips on how not to give advice when helping other people improve themselves.

Good Leaders Don't Give Advice.

While it seems counterintuitive, effective leaders never give advice as much as they listen and attempt to draw out solutions from those around them. The most effective leaders act as coaches more than anything else. This may sound like an oversimplification, but taking care of your team requires more time and effort than sitting down for 15 minutes once in a while for advice. Good leaders never issue orders or try to provide guidance that does not come from their own mistakes. Advice without proof is just someone’s opinion; opinions have little value in business.?Good leaders understand there is no formula for success. They know every situation is different and every problem has its own solution. Good leaders understand that some problems can't be solved by talking about them; they must be solved by doing something about them. Good leaders don't hand out unsolicited advice because good leaders aren't giving advice. Good leaders encourage others to find their own way to success through example and motivation, rather than telling them what's right and wrong. There's a big difference between giving someone helpful feedback on how they could do something better and making decisions for another person based on your own experiences. That being said, people will always want input from their boss because it gives them clarity on what's expected of them. So if good leaders don't give advice, then how should they interact with their employees? Instead of trying to offer solutions directly, good leaders need to take a step back and help their employees figure things out for themselves. It takes practice, trust-building, and empathy to effectively guide others toward success and that means becoming an active listener instead of offering direct instructions. Here are some examples: Be patient if someone needs help coming up with ideas or making difficult decisions. Ask questions and make sure you understand why she feels so stuck before jumping in with suggestions.

What Good Leaders Can Do Instead of Giving Advice

Good leaders encourage action instead of giving generic, useless advice that doesn't apply to everyone's situation. Most people just want to hear it. Here's what I did—do that. It might be cliché, but it helps them put their ideas into practice. Instead of telling people what they should do, good leaders ask questions and get feedback from others. This is far more effective than assuming you know exactly how things will turn out. You may not realize it, but good leaders actually give great advice all day long by encouraging other people to take the initiative. By using active listening skills and asking probing questions instead of just giving generic advice, good leaders ensure that they truly understand what others need to succeed. What’s more, asking for feedback can help you stay one step ahead and make sure your organization isn’t taking unnecessary risks or repeating past mistakes. When good leaders give advice, they follow it up with questions about how it worked out for others who have tried similar approaches. The best way to show respect for someone else's opinion is to listen closely and ask good follow-up questions. Good leaders don't treat their own opinions as gospel; instead, they treat each individual as an expert on his or her own life. In addition to listening and asking good questions, good leaders also pay attention to patterns. They learn from both success stories and failures, which allows them to make decisions based on real data rather than personal biases or unfounded assumptions. Good leaders also foster a culture where employees feel comfortable sharing both positive and negative experiences without fear of being punished for making honest mistakes. The good news is that there are plenty of good ways to inspire change and encourage growth within organizations while respecting your employees' opinions and contributions. All you have to do is keep learning from both successes and failures so you can avoid any tendencies toward micromanagement. As you reflect on situations where things went well or poorly, try paying close attention to what motivates others to work hard and reach new heights, then model those behaviours yourself whenever possible. Above all else, remember that good leaders let go: even if something doesn't work out right away, good leaders know that nothing ever works perfectly at first.?

Here's Why Good Leaders Should Stop Giving Advice

Good leaders, by definition, have already achieved and obtained success. This means they can't give out good advice on how to do something. Think about it: If someone is truly good at what they do, what makes them qualified to instruct others on how to achieve that same level of success? Nothing—at least not in any realistic or practical sense. Anyone who has achieved success needs specific actionable steps that guide them through achieving their goal. The best leaders know that and thus won't even pretend that they have any idea what it's like for people who haven't achieved their level of success yet. Instead, true leaders focus on providing perspective for those who aspire towards greatness but haven't yet figured it out or put forth the effort needed to get there. How Should Good Leaders Give Advice? Good leaders should provide more perspective than anything else. Rather than attempting to give advice, good leaders need to let their followers know what they wish they had known before taking on a challenge themselves. When asked why good leaders shouldn't give advice, most people say they don't want to look bad. But I disagree with that answer because I think great leaders will never look bad regardless of whether they offer advice or not. By saying I don't know instead of pretending as you do, you end up looking more honest and relatable than if you gave bad information anyway. When a follower asks your opinion on something (and trust me—they will), ask yourself these questions first: 1) Do I really know enough about what my follower is trying to accomplish? 2) Can I come up with any insights from my own experience that might help him/her succeed? Good leaders know that, ultimately, they aren't responsible for helping anyone figure things out. They simply have to lead by example and show their followers how to replicate those actions so they can achieve similar results down the road. To lead effectively, good leaders must avoid overstepping boundaries and relinquish control as much as possible. And remember: never tell anyone how things should be done; just tell them what you did so they can find their own way! As we've established here today, being a good leader doesn't mean teaching everyone around you how to succeed; it means letting everyone around you find his or her path while serving as inspiration along the way. Your leadership style isn't one-size-fits-all; different people learn differently!