When you’re a leader, you want what’s best for your team. Sometimes, though, your actions or behaviors might inadvertently be holding your employees back. In some cases, you might even be getting in the way of their career growth.

Julie Winkle Giulioni says some leaders try to support their employees but end up bungling things for them instead.

Want to see if you might be unintentionally limiting your team members? Read on. We share Giulioni’s thoughts on the leadership actions to avoid in this issue of PromoPro Daily. 

1. Overdoing it on the oversight. Giulioni says some leaders respond to high levels of stress and burnout by staying close to their employees and helping them stay on track. While these bosses might believe they’re providing support, employees may feel smothered by their constant hovering.

2. Being slow to delegate. Some bosses, thinking they’re lightening the load for their employees, continue to take on more responsibilities. By failing to delegate to others, leaders may be inadvertently slowing their team members’ career growth. If employees don’t get the chance to try new things and take on new projects, they are missing out.

3. Protecting from tough realities. Things aren’t all sunshine and roses. Business is complex, and life can be challenging at times. Giulioni says leaders may sometimes withhold information that could stress out their employees, but this isn’t doing them any good. Employees must learn how to evolve and deal with shifting conditions to grow in their careers.

4. Sugarcoating things. The best leaders say what needs to be said respectfully. They don’t skirt around tough issues just to avoid hurt feelings. Remember that excessively gentle feedback robs people of the information they need to change, learn and grow, Giulioni says.

5. Applying the Golden Rule. Many leaders think others are just like them. They figure if they would like to be treated a certain way, so do others. This isn’t the case, though. Giulioni says people have their own unique motivations, goals and interests that may not resemble their bosses’ ambitions at all.

You might mean well with your words or actions at work, but stay mindful of how these actions impact your team members. You don’t want to unintentionally thwart your employees’ success.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Julie Winkle Giulioni is a renowned leadership expert and champion for workplace growth and development.