Resist Being a Know-It-All


Do you view the opinions of others as a threat or think your views are superior to theirs? There are few things worse than being a leader who knows it all. By being a leader who displays know-it-all tendencies, you stifle the creative juices of your employees. In reality, you may have good intentions but your impact with this kind of behavior is abysmal.

As a know-it-all leader, you are encouraged to keep on talking, with the false notion that your ideas are the best ideas. You consistently interrupt others as they attempt to share their opinions. Your solutions are always the best solutions. In your estimation, no-one does it better than you do. The phrase "I don't know. Tell me what you think." is foreign to you.

You may be great at what you do but that doesn't necessarily mean you always have all the answers. Being confident does not translate to knowing everything there is to know about a particular subject. When you claim to know everything, you diminish any opportunity you might have to learn something new and expand your horizons.

As a leader, you have an obligation to influence and develop others on a daily basis but how do your employees or colleagues grow if you refuse to provide the chance for them to bring their thoughts to the table? How do they develop confidence when the person who has the task of building them up is too busy always being the star of the movie? When your employees are confident enough to share their ideas with you knowing that they will be supported, the entire organization benefits.

Don't be afraid to share the stage with others. In a team, when one wins, everyone wins.

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