They say true leaders are born, not made. While this is often true, you might be standing in the way of your personal success without even realizing it. If you find you’ve been passed over for that leadership role regardless of your natural ability to lead others, look out for the following personality traits that might be doing more harm than good.

Selective Listening

Selective listening comes in a variety of forms. Some people filter conversations like a modern search engine and only respond to a few keywords or important ideas. Others try to read between the lines and uncover the speaker’s true feelings – even if means ignoring their words altogether. Some people try to ignore words they consider negative.

But none of these traits make for a successful leader. Instead, make sure to listen to everything the speaker is saying. Don’t waste your time looking for body language or subtle clues that will unveil the truth. Many of your professional peers will be honest and upfront right from the start.

Casting Unnecessary Judgment

The best leaders never cast unnecessary judgment onto others – especially in the workplace. It’s easy to form an opinion on a new hire based on their looks, clothes or past experience, but work performance ultimately is what matters. Most leaders look to quality and productivity.

You Always Have to Be Right

It’s a popular misconception that leaders are always right. In reality, even the best leaders are still human beings. They make mistakes just like the rest of us – the mark of a good leader is to learn from their mistakes and move forward both quickly and efficiently.

As a leader in any professional setting, you’re bound to receive some criticism from time to time. You might be corrected when you’ve misspoken or given advice after making a mistake. Instead of ignoring such feedback, try to use these words as encouragement for the future. If someone offers up a new idea or potential improvement, take some time to consider its impact.

Automation Personnel Services’s Path to Leadership

Automation Personnel Services recruits can become leaders, too. Not only do we have full-time and direct hire positions available, but we can help turn a temp job into a long-term career for many of our workers. Contact us today for more information!