A crucial element of management involves a complex mixture of self-awareness and an understanding of group dynamics, and you have to be alert to hidden saboteurs that can derail the development journey. These success saboteurs can be found as internal mindset issues and in close associates and team members. They don’t initially present as problematic but can gradually erode focus and confidence.
The Relentless Competitor
Competition is healthy but the instinct to compete with others can be unhealthy if it’s so cutthroat or all-consuming that it creates loss of focus on your own purpose, vision and mission. Competing with yourself is healthy because it helps you to set goals and grow, ruthless competition with others ultimately creates dissatisfaction. The solution to a competitive streak is to challenge yourself and your business to be the best you can be.
The Energy Sapper
This is the person or situation that takes all your emotional energy by bringing tension to situations that need you 100 % business focus. The easiest way to spot this is, the is repetition and lack of resolution. Energy sappers leave you exhausted as they compel a focus becomes on problems not solutions. You’ll need to be able to compartmentalise and give problem identification a time limit at an appropriate time and then get into solutions mode.
The Negative Recaller
Easy to spot, this saboteur. It’s in the constant recall of every mistake, the reminder that every mistake you’ve made can happen again. Giving voice to your worst fears, it may initially seem rational and objective. You’ll also recognise this voice as the inner critic. The best strategy for negative voice ignore and counter. Remind yourself of your successes.
The Picky Perfectionist
Most business leaders and entrepreneurs will admit to a degree of perfectionism. It can manifest in different ways some may be positive like drive and focus, but it can be negative and create procrastination, elevated stress levels and anxiety. In personal development terms dealing with the fear of failure and accepting the learning that comes from ‘doing’ is part of the solution.
