Industry Insights 5 Feeling Stuck In A Leadership Rut?

Industry Insights

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Feeling Stuck In A Leadership Rut?

by | Feb 3, 2025 | All, Blog, Featured, Leadership

About The Author Steve Taplin

Steve Taplin, CEO of Sonatafy Technology, is a serial entrepreneur with extensive expertise in software development, MVP product development and the management of staff augmentation services.

Feeling stuck in a leadership rut happens more often than you might think. It is much like when you hike through the same group of trees every day—you eventually forget you are in the forest. In terms of leadership, this blurring of lines reduces your capacity to innovate, leaving you feeling stagnant and stale.

Here is what I have learned on my leadership journey as a serial entrepreneur: Leadership is not just about guiding others but also navigating your own growth. Great leaders do not let discomfort deter them, and neither should you. Instead, use those feelings of disquiet to highlight how far you have come. Pivot from tired pathways to travel down unmapped roads, looking for opportunities to evolve along the trail.

Getting yourself out of a leadership rut requires reinvigorating your passion and purpose for leading others. These tips help you evaluate your leadership style and make changes that support your team’s collective growth.

Embrace Small Changes

Start small. For instance, I sometimes switch my daily briefing to a team-led discussion. Likewise, I might ask for solutions instead of providing them when things go sideways. Small intentional changes helped me reinvent my leadership style without an overnight overhaul. Shifting your approach like this can also lead to unexpected insights from employees and bolster collaboration efforts between co-workers.

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Foster A Growth Mindset

Breaking out of a rut can be as simple as shifting my mindset to one of growth. I can learn, develop and improve with effort when I believe in myself. Looking at things like this encourages me to view challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles. You can begin the reframing process by asking yourself what you can learn from demanding situations and how to use them as a springboard for growth.

Seek And Use Feedback

Soliciting feedback from peers and my team and using that feedback helped me become a better leader. Honest feedback provided valuable insight into areas where I needed some work and offered fresh perspectives on what I needed to do to move forward. Being open to criticism lets you accept the sometimes difficult gift of candor and step outside yourself to see how others think you might improve your leadership style.

Explore New Opportunities

Seeking new learning opportunities showed others I was open to professional growth when I started my software company. I attended workshops, seminars and conferences, but you can also learn a lot by listening to podcasts and engaging with thought leaders during webinars. Expanding your knowledge base and staying current on industry trends can help you keep your leadership approach fresh.

Engage In Self-Reflection

Do not wait for others to evaluate your leadership style; do the work for them by setting aside regular times to note your progress and identify areas for improvement. Reflective practices keep me mindful and, in the present, help me understand the effect of my actions and how they impact my team. Self-reflection like this can help you make more intentional, effective decisions, especially when you remember to celebrate your successes along the way.

Encourage Innovation

Promoting a culture that values creativity and innovation has encouraged my team to share ideas freely. By welcoming experimentation and providing space for brainstorming, I inspired my team while keeping everyone energized and engaged. Letting your team know you view failures as learning opportunities also helps your staff build confidence and be more open to discussing ideas with team members when they cannot guarantee results.

Empowering Others

Trusting my team with responsibilities helped build their skills and freed up my time to focus on building my leadership toolkit. For instance, delegating tasks to my team empowered them to take ownership of their collaborative work, making them feel more motivated and productive. This empowerment, in turn, led to a more dynamic, innovative work environment where everyone felt confident in their abilities and those of their co-workers.

Network And Collaborate

Engaging with diverse groups of professionals usually helps me find fresh perspectives and develop innovative ideas. When I expanded my network and began collaborating with other leaders, I reignited my passion for work and started exploring new leadership strategies that might work well for my team. Build your network by attending collaborative events, joining professional organizations and participating in online forums.

Promote Positivity

Maintaining positivity in the face of challenges significantly impacts my team’s productivity and morale. By acknowledging my staff’s efforts, celebrating their successes and providing excellent support, I demonstrate my ability to lead in a positive way that fosters an enjoyable work environment.

Prioritize Self-Care

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance helps me lead others more effectively. I care for myself by engaging in regular physical activity like hiking and daily mindfulness routines like meditation. By focusing on your well-being, you better equip yourself to lead your team with energy and enthusiasm.

Share Your Experiences

Stepping outside your comfort zone and sharing your results with other leaders helps everyone grow. When you challenge yourself to do one thing differently each day, you learn more about yourself and your routines. For instance, I might take a different approach to a frequent problem or lead a meeting in a new way to see if I can improve my outcomes. Encouraging your team to do the same thing can lead to a refreshed workforce that feels comfortable doing things in new ways.

Growing into your leadership skills may sometimes prove challenging, even for the best managers and executives. But by embracing minor changes and putting a growth mindset into action, you can bring your passion and purpose firmly into focus. Remember, it is not about completely revamping your leadership style but about making intentional changes that lead to continuous growth. Are you ready to break out of your rut and take ownership of your leadership potential? The first step of your journey starts today.

“Leadership is not just about guiding others but also about navigating your own growth. By embracing small, intentional changes and fostering a growth mindset, we can break free from stagnation and inspire our teams to reach new heights.”Steve Taplin, CEO of Sonatafy Technology

For more details, check out the full article on Forbes.