Debunking The 7 Most Common Leadership Myths
Get ready to be surprised!
I believe in everything until it’s disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it’s in your mind. Who’s to say that dreams and nightmares aren’t as real as the here and now? — John Lennon
Leadership is often shrouded in myths and misconceptions, leading many people to misunderstand what it truly means to be an effective leader.
These myths can change perceptions, slow down progress, and create unrealistic expectations for both leaders and those that work with them.
In this article, I will discuss — and debunk — 7 Leadership Myths that are most common. Let me know in the comments if you have experienced or believed these myths at some point, and how you came over them.
#1: Leaders Are Born, Not Made
Arguably the grand-daddy of all myths!
Many people believe that leadership is a natural quality that only a select few are born with.
Leaders are often seen as charismatic, and charisma is not believed to be ‘learnable’. So, as per the myth, if you are not born a leader, you will never be a leader.
How true is it though?
The reality, backed by extensive research in the fields of education and business, is that leadership skills can be learned and developed through training, practice, and experience.
For example, many successful leaders, including Steve Jobs of Apple, Howard Schultz of Starbucks, and countless more, started with little to no leadership experience and grew into their roles through continuous learning and development.
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” — John F. Kennedy
So, let’s set the record straight: Leaders are made, not born. You can develop leadership skills, and over time with experience you will become a more effective leader.
#2: Leaders Must Have All the Answers
There is popular belief that leaders must be ‘all knowing’, and they should have all the answers.
Have a problem? Talk to the leader, as they most certainly have a solution for you.
Have a question? Go ask the leader.
This expectation of being the know-all can put a lot of unnecessary pressure on leaders.
The reality is that leaders are just like any other human beings, and they do not have all the answers.
A leader’s role is to provide any support, coaching and mentoring to their teams, and empower their teams to find solutions to problems.
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” — Ronald Reagan
A leader does not, and cannot, have all the solutions. If they did, they wouldn’t be human.
#3: Leadership Equals Management
Many people interchangeably use the terms leader and manager, assuming that they are one and the same thing.
They assume that a good manager is automatically a good leader.
But, is that really true?
While it is quite possible that the same individual could be playing both the roles — a manager and a leader — but that doesn’t make those roles the same.
In fact, those are distinct roles:
Management focuses on processes, execution, delivery, and managing teams
Leadership focuses on inspiring and driving change
“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” — Peter Drucker
Think of these as two different hats that you may need to wear. At times, you need to put on the management hat to manage your team, and drive projects. At other times, you need to put on the leadership hat to inspire and drive change in your organization.
Enjoying the read? Hit the ❤️ button and share/restack 🔁 it with others who might find it helpful.
Subscribe to The Good Boss to get free articles like this every week.
#4: Good Leaders Are Always Extroverts
Can you imagine a great leader who is not also outgoing, gregarious and the life of the party?
Probably not.
And that’s because traditional and social media tend to popularize the stereotype of extroverted leaders.
The reality is that introverts (thanks to Susan Cain and her very popular book Quiet) can be great leaders by utilizing their strengths such as listening, thoughtful decision-making and deep thinking.
As a popular example, Bill Gates, who is known to be an introvert, led Microsoft to great success with his visionary and thoughtful leadership.
“Quiet people have the loudest minds.” — Stephen Hawking
So, if you are an introvert, consider that an advantage. You are probably going to need your unique abilities as you grow in your leadership journey.
#5: Leaders Are Always Confident and Resilient
Leaders are often associated with being confident, and able to handle any situation, no matter how tough.
They are expected to be strong and resilient, and maintain authority and respect.
However, the reality is quite the opposite.
Even the best leaders experience uncertainty. Effective leaders acknowledge their doubts, seek counsel, and make informed decisions.
Just like any other human being, leaders are vulnerable and emotional beings. Showing openness and vulnerability can help them to build trust with their teams and other stakeholders.
“The courage to be vulnerable is not about winning or losing, it’s about the courage to show up when you can’t predict or control the outcome.” — Brene Brown
Admitting mistakes and being open about challenges can make leaders more relatable and build a stronger, more resilient team.
#6: Leadership Is About Authority and Power
If you go back in history, the past several centuries were dominated by Kingdoms and Dynasties ruling much of the world.
During these years the leaders were seen as having ultimate authority and power over their people, and they would exercise those in order to get work done. That image of an authoritative leader continues to persist till this day.
The reality, however, is that true leadership is about influence, not authority.
To get work done, a leader supports, influences and empowers others — acting as a multiplier.
“The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” — Ralph Nader
By empowering their teams, the leader demonstrates a growth mindset, and encourages others to grow and develop as leaders as well.
#7: Leaders Should Focus on Weaknesses
A leader manages the performance of their team members, and is responsible for the overall productivity of their teams.
There’s a common belief that role of a leader is to identify and fix weaknesses in their team members. They are expected to maximize productivity of their teams by eliminating all the weak spots.
However, research and experiments have revealed that the most effective strategy for managers is to focus on leveraging the strengths of their team members. Doing this helps to complement the skills and strengths of a diverse team, thereby resulting in much higher productivity gains.
“Leadership is about harnessing the collective strengths of your team to achieve a common goal.” — Unknown
This also results in higher job satisfaction, as team members are motivated to push themselves further.
In Summary: Debunking the 7 Most Common Leadership Myths
In this article, we debunked the seven most common leadership myths:
Leaders Are Born, Not Made: Leadership is a skill that can be developed through learning, practice, and experience.
Leaders Must Have All the Answers: Great leaders empower their teams to find solutions rather than pretending to know everything.
Leadership Equals Management: Management focuses on processes, while leadership inspires vision and drives change.
Good Leaders Are Always Extroverts: Both introverts and extroverts can excel in leadership by leveraging their unique strengths.
Leaders Are Always Confident and Resilient: Effective leaders embrace vulnerability, seek advice, and make thoughtful decisions.
Leadership Is About Authority and Power: True leadership is about influence, empowerment, and developing other leaders.
Leaders Should Focus on Weaknesses: Great leaders build high-performing teams by focusing on strengths, not fixing weaknesses.
Which of these myths do you resonate with? Let me know in the comments below! 👇
Other posts you will enjoy
The Ultimate Leadership Toolkit Bundle
Looking to build your leadership muscle? Unlock the full power of the best leadership frameworks and tools with The Ultimate Leadership Toolkit Bundle!
The bundle includes:
The Leader’s Playbook: The best-selling leadership guide that summarizes 75 frameworks across 23 leadership situations you will face in your role. The playbook includes 100+ full-color illustrations, and application guides to get you up and running with each of the frameworks!
12 x Application Worksheets (Fillable PDF and print-ready) that include step-by-step prompts to help you put the power of the frameworks into practice.
The Leadership Stack Poster: A visually appealing poster that organizes the frameworks into four essential sections to help you structure your work.
Extended Mind-map of Leadership Frameworks: A mind-map that acts as a quick reference and a guide (available in PDF and in the original editable format.)
Grab your bundle now, and unlock the full power of the best leadership frameworks and tools!
🎁 Limited time offer! Use code LOYAL25 and enjoy 25% off the bundle!
👋🏻 Connect with me on LinkedIn.
PS: If you’re enjoying The Good Boss, will you take 2 seconds and hit the ❤️ button and share/restack 🔁 it with others who might find it helpful? It goes a long way in helping me grow the newsletter. Thank you!
I would love your input on how I could make The Good Boss even more useful for you! So please leave a comment with:
Ideas you’d like covered in future editions
Your biggest takeaway from this edition
I read and reply to every single one of them!
If you are not already, subscribe to The Good Boss for free articles like this every week.
Great post, Gaurav!
All myths resonate with me and my leadership journey:
1. I wasn't born a leader, but I became one.
2. I don't have all the answers, but I can find them.
3. My title contains "manager", but I lead others.
4. I'm quite introverted, and that's okay!
5. I don't always look confident, and that's also okay.
6. I learned that leadership is not about control but empowerment.
7. As a leader, I focus on strengths rather than on weaknesses.
I somehow shared some of those insights, and I'm glad you wrote about them, too.