Most leaders are self-reflective enough to know they have areas where improvements can be made. It’s common to feel frustrated at times or stuck, uninspired, and unsure of how to achieve the growth you know is possible.

Identifying and fixing issues is where many run into trouble. We see the same leadership potential challenges show up with the different companies and leaders we work with – but with varying symptoms. Here are a few of the most common themes and most likely why you aren’t reaching your business or leadership potential.

Did You Actually Delegate?

You are surrounded by teams of capable professionals who know their responsibilities and, assuming you’ve paid any attention to our articles on company culture, they are engaged and invested in doing their jobs well. Yet many leaders still feel compelled to check in, give specific direction and ask in-depth questions about progress. It is great when leaders make themselves available, but when does it cross the line from helpful to micromanagement?

How do you know? If you frequently find days getting away from you because you are working with your teams on projects you’ve assigned and can’t understand why your work is piling up, then you are a micromanager. You’ve hired and promoted, and cultivated your team, now let them own their successes and failures so they can grow and learn and invest themselves into your company.

When you’re in it, a high-touch approach feels like it keeps the wheels in motion and produces better results. The truth is – it might, but more likely – you’re preventing growth and innovation. And over-involvement can produce resentment, mistrust and a perpetual state of overwhelm for your team. Not to mention, preemptive or persistent attention to what others are doing is a distraction from your own strategic focus; you’re putting yourself into reactive mode instead of being proactive.

In theory, leaders know micromanaging keeps you from your leadership potential. Putting those urges away, however, can be challenging – especially if it is part of your long-standing work style. Change your focus to higher-level responsibilities, and you will foster a culture of autonomy and ownership, establish healthy boundaries and build trust. Plus, you’ll help your business reach its potential.

Do You Still View Failure as Taboo?

You didn’t get to where you are by shying away from a challenge. Leaders often face incredible complications as they climb to the top. But when you reach your goals, things can get comfortable. Just like with our investment portfolios, leaders become increasingly risk-averse in leadership style as time marches on. The difference is that with investments, advisors often show that staying the course protects assets. Staying the course in your career or with your business goals can lead to stagnation and rarely results in continuously reaching your leadership potential.

Taking the road more frequently traveled doesn’t necessarily indicate a lack of ambition. The “fear of failure” can stem from larger concerns such as reputation, credibility, and responsibility for others’ livelihood.

However, failure is part of growth and success. It provides valuable learning experiences and opportunities for improvement. Actively avoiding failure won’t make it stop happening. As leadership expert Amy Edmonson says, “Declaring that failure is off limits doesn’t mean it will stop happening. It means you’ll stop hearing about it.”

Embrace failure as a natural part of the learning process and reframe it as an opportunity for personal and professional growth. Make an intentional and regular time commitment for professional development – for you and your teams. Prioritizing learning will help you achieve your leadership potential.

Are You Focused on Learning?

Change is essential for staying competitive and driving progress in any industry. When leadership resists change, growth stalls, and the stagnation suppresses innovation. We know that learning is important, but it’s easy to fall into that comfort trap.

Companies that make a point of investing in learning benefit from enhanced skill sets and broader thinking. Education builds confidence and perspective, making embracing new ideas less daunting. Embracing change opens the door to innovation and agility. The world certainly isn’t getting any simpler. But you knew that.

What are the options? Learning programs can take many different forms. It can look like executive coaching, customized programs run by a facilitator, self-directed lessons, or even reading books on another approach to leadership. Any which way, learning will help.

Liddell Consulting Group works with executive and senior leadership to build skills, develop clear paths, and identify the right tools for maximizing leadership potential. Our individualized coaching experiences help leaders build critical competencies for a real impact on personal and organizational success. Contact us today to learn more or to get started.