1. Establish Boundaries
When leaders are experiencing the perfect leader trap, they are stretching themselves too thin. The first adjustment leaders need to make is to establish boundaries with all their stakeholders. Some leaders have trouble establishing boundaries because they feel like they aren’t being present for their people. Others have trouble because it feels uncomfortable to have those conversations with those they lead. Regardless of the reason, a leader who isn’t establishing boundaries isn’t doing anyone any favors. Boundaries are necessary for healthy relationships and create positive work dynamics which lead to better balance and outcomes.
2. Prioritize Tasks
Leaders are busy people. They have all sorts of tasks for which they are responsible. When people are experiencing the perfect leader trap, they try to do every single task. The problem with this mindset is that no one can do all things well. When leaders try to do it all, mediocrity will likely ensue. In order to avoid that, leaders need to prioritize tasks and take them on in order of importance or immediacy. Leaders can assign tasks that can be handled to other members of the organization who are better positioned to handle the task.
3. Grow Your Team
Effective leaders who don’t fall into the perfect leader trap grow their teams. Leaders must grow the competencies of those within the organization to ensure the company has a healthy future. Growing leaders is the number one job of leaders within the organization. Organizational leaders need to recognize and identify emerging leaders and create plans to support their growth. In doing so, leaders cement the future of leadership within their organization.
4. Schedule Important Events
The life of leaders can get very hectic, so it is imperative that important events in their lives are scheduled. The people who mean the most in the lives of leaders should know it. When leaders identify the events that are important to them, it will help ensure that they attend those events. I recommend leaders schedule personal and work events on a combined calendar so that their team knows when they are available.
5. Practice Self-Care
Wanting to be everything to everybody is exhausting. Leaders who fall into the perfect leader trap have the potential to experience burnout very quickly. The antidote to burnout is self-care. Self-care doesn’t need to be a weekend retreat or a day at the spa—it can simply be quiet time, exercising, listening to music or even enjoying a drive. Self-care is not a nicety but a necessity; leaders need to invest in their own well-being in order to be effective and still have the lives they deserve.
There is no perfect leader. I’ve seen firsthand how leaders who try to be the perfect leader struggle to perform optimally and their organizations suffer as a result. By establishing boundaries, prioritizing tasks, growing their teams, scheduling important events and practicing self-care, leaders can effectively lead while still leading the lives they deserve.
