Hardheaded Leader? Here is What You Need to Change to Lead Your Team
In today’s world that is constantly battling for our minds, mental fortification is a must if we want to survive and thrive. However, mental toughness has the dark side – inflexibility, stubbornness and a closed mind.
It’s important to understand the difference between being persistent, tough-minded and hardheaded. Persistence is about having a strong mind that gives you the endurance to face challenges. Tough-mindedness gives you the courage to learn from your experience and grow.
Hardheaded people might seem persistent and tough-minded but in contrast to tough-minded people who seek feedback and are willing to change, hardheaded people believe they are always right and refuse to learn and change. In other words, hardheaded people are close-minded and the only thing they are interested in is “being right”.
Signs you are a hardheaded leader
- You stick to a point/idea/plan, even when you know you’re wrong.
- You do something you want to do even if no one else wants to do it.
- When others present an idea, you point out reasons why it won’t work.
- You feel anger and impatience when others try to persuade you of something you don’t agree with.
- You behave aggressively when challenges occur.
5 ways to stop being hardheaded
#1. Accept mistakes and learn from experience
Make it part of your organizational culture. Ask people “what are we learning from mistakes?”, listen to the answer and evaluate what’s working and what can be improved.
#2. Don’t be afraid of failure
Learn from your failure and failures of others and use it for your future growth.
#3. Start small
If you feel resistant to change, try to start with making small adjustments on a daily basis. Test your assumptions and explore options.
#4. Invite an outsider
If listening to yourself isn’t working, try listening to someone else.
#5. Stop doing what isn’t working
Stopping is one of the leadership’s greatest challenges. Be persistent but remember that success is not just about doing what works. It’s also about cutting off things that aren’t working at all.
