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Success Advice

You’re Getting In The Way Of Your Own Success – Here’s How You Can Fix It

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get in your own way
Joel Brown

I truly believe we can only reach our fullest potential when we’re challenged.

Challenges are often described as barriers or brick walls that get in our way. I say, those blockades are your greatest opportunities.

As I sit in a leadership conference in Arizona, my thoughts are confirmed and perhaps better articulated as the speaker references the late Randy Pausch, a professor and author of “The Last lecture.” Pausch said, “The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.”

If you’re like me, your brick wall is what you see when you look in the mirror—You get in the way of your own progress. You are your greatest barrier.

Just like all challenges, you have an opportunity for growth when you face the barrier, or the mirror, stare it down and shatter it.

 

I find most business leaders have difficulty admitting that their leadership style may be their biggest barrier, and even more difficulty tearing it down for two reasons:

  1. Leaders are accustomed to identifying and remediating external challenges like profit margins and HR matters, they often fail to reverse the focus on internal reflection.
  2. Leaders don’t want to identify themselves as the brick walls because that’s akin with identifying a weakness, and leaders can’t be weak, right?

 

This second reason brings me back to my original point—Tackling a growth opportunity does not make you weak, it makes you strong. Stop limiting yourself and start becoming the best version of yourself you can be.

 

Here’s how to shatter that mirror:

Ask – Pose to your team members this question: What do I need to do to be a better leader? Set “Vegas-style” rules, what you say here stays here, so you create a safe zone where truth can flourish.

Yes, asking the question is simple, but the answer, especially if it’s truthful, may sting. Actually, if it doesn’t sting, ask again.

Listen – When you feel the pain of the truth, don’t react. Don’t make excuses, tighten your fists or clench your jaw. Instead, let it sink in. Once absorbed, ensure the messenger that you appreciate his or her candor.

 

Motivation Picture Quote For SuccessRandy Pausch also said, “Your critics are the ones telling you they still love you and care. Worry when you do something badly and nobody bothers to tell you.

In this process you’re soliciting criticism, so it’s a bit different, but the message is the same. When a member of your team is honest with you and gives you constructive advice, take it as a compliment. It’s those team members who don’t offer valuable feedback that may not feel invested in the future of your team or company.

Act—Actually take the advice of your team members and act on it. Dramatic change to your leadership style may be needed. This is the actionable step that will fulfill your ultimate goal of tearing down the brick wall or shattering your mirror to achieve personal and company growth.

Pausch continued his statement on brick walls by saying, “The brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.

Many aren’t strong enough to shatter their mirror, BUT YOU ARE!, which is why you’re going to take your business and you’re leadership abilities to the next level and your competitor will not.

 

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The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

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