10 Leadership Mistakes

Leadership habits make a big difference to team output. But when these 10 mistakes go unchecked, productivity and performance takes a nosedive.

Find out what they are and what to do about it.

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10 Leadership mistakes that reduce team productivity

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Micromanagement kills momentum. It signals a lack of trust, slows decision-making, and strips ownership from your team. Leaders often micromanage out of fear or perfectionism—but the result is the same: disengaged people who stop thinking for themselves.

If you’re constantly checking, correcting or doing the work for your team, you’re not leading—you’re bottlenecking. Great leaders coach, guide and step back. Empowerment is a productivity multiplier.

When expectations are vague, teams stall. Confusion leads to rework, delays and missed outcomes. Yet many leaders assume their team ‘just gets it.’

Clear direction is more than deadlines. It’s defining success, setting priorities, and checking for understanding. Emotionally intelligent leaders tailor their communication to the needs of their team, ensuring everyone is aligned and confident from the start.

Nothing kills trust like a leader who sidesteps accountability. When leaders don’t own mistakes or fail to hold others accountable, standards slip. Productivity drops, and team culture suffers.

Accountability isn’t about blame—it’s about ownership. That includes regulating your emotions when things go wrong, giving and receiving timely feedback, and setting up clear processes for follow-through. Strong leaders make accountability the norm, not the exception.

Recognition is fuel and creates momentum. When people feel seen and appreciated, they stay engaged and motivated. When they don’t, they quietly disconnect.

Leaders shouldn’t just be driving performance— they need to be celebrating it. Simple acknowledgements, shout-outs, or private thank-yous go a long way.

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It builds slowly through overload, pressure, and feeling unsupported. Morale dips when leaders are too focused on output to notice wellbeing.

Emotionally aware leaders check in, not just check progress. They pay attention to energy, tone, and unspoken signals. Productivity improves when people feel supported—not just measured.

Teams don’t need a superhero—they need a human. Ego-driven leadership stifles collaboration and creates a culture of fear. People stop sharing ideas or taking risks when they’re afraid to be wrong.

Empathy builds psychological safety. Leaders who stay calm under pressure and respond with curiosity instead of defensiveness build trust and high-performing teams. Emotional regulation is a leadership skill, not just a soft skill.

Silence creates uncertainty. Over-communicating the wrong way creates noise. The right kind of communication—clear, timely, and two-way—is essential to team flow. Emotionally intelligent leaders communicate with intent by checking for understanding, adjusting for context, and creating space for feedback. Better communication = better execution.

High-performing teams aren’t the ones doing the most—they’re the ones doing what matters. When everything is a priority, nothing truly is. Teams get stuck in a reactive loop—constantly firefighting, jumping between urgent tasks, and never catching up. The real cost? Important work gets delayed, strategic thinking disappears, and burnout creeps in.

Worse still, after putting out the fires, people still have to circle back to the work that got pushed aside. That double workload erodes morale fast. Leadership means filtering, not just forwarding. Prioritisation shows respect for your team’s time and energy and ensures their effort is focused where it counts.

Trying to turn everyone into an all-rounder is a fast track to mediocrity. When leaders focus on weaknesses and nitpick imperfections, they miss the chance to amplify what people do best. Great leaders identify strengths and put people where they shine. It builds confidence, engagement and performance. You can still develop capability—but growth sticks when it builds on natural ability.

When leaders disappear—physically or emotionally—so does team engagement. People want to know their leader is present, invested and available when it matters. Leadership isn’t just about visibility; it’s about connection. Being approachable, checking in meaningfully, and showing up during pressure moments all send a powerful message: “I’ve got your back.”

These 10 leadership mistakes can actively create psychosocial hazards and harm employee wellbeing.

This isn’t just a performance issue—it’s a compliance issue too.

Work Health and Safety Regulations now require employers—and leaders—to prevent and manage psychosocial hazards. These include:
job demands, low job control, poor support, lack of role clarity, poor organisational change management, inadequate reward and recognition, poor organisational justice, conflict and poor workplace relationships, bullying, harassment (including sexual harassment), and violence and aggression. Leaders influence every one of these factors—for better or worse—through their leadership style.

Ready to lead with purpose and impact?

Reflecting on these 10 common leadership mistakes can help you identify what needs to change and where to focus your growth. It’s not about throwing everything out—it’s about refining what works and improving what doesn’t.

When leaders invest in their development, they create workplaces where people feel safe, supported, and ready to thrive.

At LDN, we help leaders strengthen emotional intelligence, communication, and the practical tools that drive performance and morale.
Explore our leadership programs and start leading with clarity, confidence, and connection. Save

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If these questions highlight opportunities for transformation, LDN is here to help.

LDN specialise in helping leaders and organisations build safer, more effective workplaces. Whether through leadership development, safety training, or tailored workshops, we provide the tools and strategies you need to succeed.

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