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Recently in a presentation at a leading financial institution, I encouraged participants to share their talents. A blond woman in the back of the room raised her hand and said, "I'm in a job that doesn't use my talents. But my boss doesn't want to hear this. I'd never tell him what I could do for this organization." She was stuck in an old mindset and waiting to be told what to do.

Not long ago the common wisdom was, ‘Managers think - employees do.' This is no longer true. Today employees' decisions control thousands of dollars that impact the bottom line.

For the first time in history employees have a choice about what they do and how they get work done. Information technology enables employees to find essential information and make informed decisions. But many still don't feel free to choose. With downsizing, mergers and outsourcing, employees are hesitant to make decisions that threaten the status quo or their livelihood. So employees wait for others to decide - then feel disappointed when their views are not heard or acted upon.

The 7 Deadly Sins of Leadership

To successfully lead today's employees you must avoid these sins of the leadership:

#1. Focus only on what's wrong

Too many managers adopt a "no news is good news" approach to managing their staff. If an employee isn't screwing up, the manager basically leaves them alone. But knowledge workers want to be recognized. Positive encouragement highlights their talents, helps them continue moving in the right direction, and fuels their enthusiasm to offer more. Avoid focusing only on what's wrong and acknowledge what's going right.

#2. Ignore poor performers

High performing employees expect you to deal with poor performers - otherwise the problem lands in their laps. You may have to reassign an individual to an area where their talents are better suited-or re-evaluate their position in the organization altogether. In either case it means paying attention to the problems and taking corrective action. Don't let a poor performer derail the progress and motivation of other employees.

#3. Neglect employees

Employees still need your time and attention. They don't need a lot of it but they definitely need some. In today's busy workplace, leaders can go for weeks without checking in or talking with employees about how things are doing. You may not feel the need to communicate if you know projects are on track -but employees definitely need to connect. Regular check ins and one-on-one meetings with employees keep knowledge workers motivated and momentum strong. Make sure you spend adequate time with each individual.

#4. Overlook boredom and talent misfit.

Job uncertainty and fear of change may prevent employees from speaking up about a change that's needed. It's your job to notice when individuals start losing interest, are struggling in their current position, or slacking off for some unknown reason. We know from research that the longer employees stays in the same job the less energy and motivation they have for the position.

#5. Fail to give useful feedback

In corporate life, no one wants to hear, "this isn't working." However, employees need feedback. No matter how exceptional the individual, there are times when he might shoot himself in the foot without knowing it. A wise leader helps knowledge workers see problems and address the issues. Ideally you don't wait until there is a crisis to raise a touchy subject and give feedback.

#6. Say ‘yes' to everything.

Help employees curb their appetite to work on interesting projects that are unrelated to business priorities. No matter how exciting a project is, you must encourage knowledge workers to ask: "Is this project contributing to the primary goals of the business? Can I justify the time and energy I'm spending on it? Will this initiative, new project, strategic initiative, or R&D effort produce the outcomes we want?" Many times, knowledge workers will bite off more than they can chew. A wise leader helps employees set limits and say no-for their own sake as well as the sake of the business. They encourage employees to ask the tough questions and take a stand so valuable resources aren't wasted.

#7. Keep employees in the dark.

Employees need information to be effective. Good communication about strategic priorities and political realities helps them contribute in meaningful ways. With this knowledge they can make better decisions, involve the right people, avoid missteps and move in the right direction. Without this essential information, they waste valuable time and resources on projects that are irrelevant. Nothing annoys a knowledge worker more than wasting time on meaningless activities. It's your job to keep knowledge workers in the communication loop so they can make good decisions about their time.

Take-Charge World

Your role as a leader is to help employees succeed. You do this by encouraging employees to recognize their strengths, identify business priorities, and align their talents with these needs. Even with encouragement, many employees are hesitant to fully take charge - and sometimes leaders stand in their way. It's past time to help employees take change!

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