Unlearning So You Can Lead Better
Has your management style made your employees not trust you? On this episode of Leadership Hustle, hosts Andrea and Michelle dive deep into the world of leadership and management, unpacking the concept of "Unlearning" to become a better leader. Andrea and Michelle explore how the "curse of knowledge" often leads seasoned leaders to rely on positional leadership, failing to inspire true followership. Whether you're a seasoned executive or an emerging leader, this episode of "Leadership Hustle" is packed with insights on how to shed outdated behaviors and adapt your management style to lead more effectively.
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Expand Your Leadership Skills.
Unlearning so You Can Lead People Better
To be a good leader, sometimes we need to unlearn past habits that hinder our company's growth. If you are wondering how to lead people better, then this Leadership Hustle podcast episode is the one for you. Leadership is one of the most complex and nuanced aspects of business. It combines strategy, psychology, communication, and empathy. But what if some of the things we've learned about leadership are not just outdated but also fundamentally flawed? What if our very understanding of what it means to lead is holding us and our organizations back?
Why we Need to Learn how to Lead People Better
Business leaders are continually bombarded with advice on what to learn and adapt, constantly being told a new, better, and more effective way to lead. But not all advice is a good one, and the ability to unlearn might just be the missing piece in the puzzle of fostering authentic leadership in the business landscape. If you've found your leadership style hitting a plateau or stuck in a rut of practices that just don't seem to inspire the results you're looking for, what can you do?
The Curse of Knowledge – and What to Do About It
Most leaders today face the challenge of integrating new knowledge into established leadership practices. When leaders have been in their roles for years, they develop a set of behaviors and strategies that they know work. However, the downside is that this familiarity can create barriers to adopting new methods or perspectives, even when they're beneficial.
This difficulty in shifting away from long-held beliefs and practices to incorporate new insights can unintentionally hinder a team's growth and innovation. Recognizing and addressing the curse of knowledge involves a willingness to critically evaluate and adapt one's leadership style. For leaders, the journey of unlearning and relearning is not just about personal growth but also about fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability within their teams.
Why Unlearning Is Essential
In an environment that places a premium on continuous learning and professional development, the concept of unlearning can feel counterintuitive. However, business paradigms shift, new insights emerge and needs evolve. What worked yesterday might not work today, and leaders who cannot adapt are poised to be left behind. Unlearning allows leaders to challenge their previous assumptions and embrace new ideas, strategies, and approaches that will better serve their team's growth and success. So, how can leaders actively practice unlearning?
How to Unlearn
Embrace a growth mindset: Leaders should view themselves as learners rather than experts. This shift in perspective allows them to approach situations with curiosity and openness rather than relying on past knowledge.
Breaking Habits: Our leadership styles are often dictated by habits — habits of thought, habits of language, and habits of action. These ingrained patterns can be difficult to recognize, much less change, but they can have a profound impact on our effectiveness as leaders. We outline the process of breaking these habits, including understanding the trigger, recognizing the routine, and identifying the reward. Once we've dissected these habits, we can begin to replace or modify the routines to enhance our leadership capacity.
Being open to others' ideas: By being open to others' ideas, we create an environment that encourages diverse thinking and allows us to challenge our own assumptions. This not only fosters innovation and creativity but also helps us gain a deeper understanding of the people we lead.
Keep Learning
Learning is a lifetime pursuit, particularly in the landscape of business. It's not enough to rely on the knowledge and experiences that brought you to your current position; you must continually seek out new information, challenge your assumptions, and remain open to new ideas.
Don't Manage, Lead
Unlearning how to lead is about more than casual self-improvement; it's about reshaping the very essence of how you approach your role. Leader and manager are often used interchangeably in the workplace. However, there are significant differences between the two.The primary difference between a leader and a manager is the focus of each role. A leader's main responsibility is to provide direction, inspiration, and guidance to a team or organization. They set a vision and motivate others to achieve it.
On the other hand, a manager's primary job is to oversee daily operations, coordinate tasks, and ensure that goals are met within a specified timeframe. Understanding that leading is about vision, empowerment, and emotional intelligence can transform your approach and, in turn, the performance of your team.
Become a Better Leader
Leaders are made, not born, and the mark of a great leader is the willingness to unlearn — to discard what no longer serves and to continually reinvent, reimagine, and lead with authenticity. Are you ready to unlearn? The next step in your leadership journey is to challenge the assumptions you've held, to adopt fresh perspectives, and to commit to a path of growth and exploration.
Start Seeing Results Today
Ready to see the results you want in your organization and elevate your leadership to the next level? Need some help implementing effective leadership in your organization? Contact Revela Group today for tips and leadership mentoring.
About the Hosts
Andrea Fredrickson
Andrea Fredrickson is a thought leader and consultant at Revela, an organization based in Omaha, Nebraska specializing in the development of leaders, culture alignment, and business strategy for private and family businesses of all sizes. Revela is one of the region's most experienced thought challengers, helping individuals and companies find their greatness. Andrea has built an amazing team by believing that fundamentally people want to be successful and become better versions of themselves.
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Andrea has degrees in education, management, and business. She is the author of Insight Unseen; How to lead with 20/20 business vision. She helps people see things differently, self-reflect, and never stop looking for ways to improve themselves on a personal and professional level. Andrea has spent more than 30 years researching and developing methods to help people communicate and lead more effectively.
When Andrea isn’t working with clients, you’ll find her spending time with her family & friends and making memories by exploring new cities.
Michelle Hill
Michelle Hill is a master facilitator and coach at Revela, an organization specializing in the development of leaders and aligning the culture of privately held and family businesses of all sizes. Revela is one of the region's most experienced thought challengers, helping individuals and companies find their greatness.
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An ambitious leader, Michelle has the natural ability to create forward momentum to build teams and get results. She inspires others to look within themselves and to challenge the status quo. She helps create high-performing environments. Michelle brings a diverse background: operations, employee development, and sales in the steel, hospitality, and consulting industries.
Outside of work, you will see her competitive side engaged in her daughter’s sports and ISU athletics. She loves life, her four-legged companions, and captures all the moments through her camera’s lens.
TRANSCRIPT
Andrea Frederickson: Have you been in a leadership role for a while and think you had those leadership lessons learned in this episode of The Leadership Puzzle? We'll discuss the curse of knowledge and what to do about it. Hello and welcome to the leadership puzzle for executives whose companies are growing fast and need leaders who are ready. How many years have you been in some kind of leadership management role?