5 Fixable Mistakes Leaders Make
The Extremely Tactical Secrets of the Best Operators in the World
I’ve made every one of these mistakes.
Some more than once.
Some so obvious they still make me cringe.
In fact, they are super easy to fix because they aren’t fatal flaws.
They’re operational blind spots… and you can fix them faster than you think.
Here are five mistakes that quietly erode trust, massively drain performance, and make your team stop caring… and exactly how to fix them.
Mistake #1: You Hoard the Credit
If you ever catch yourself saying I built this or I made this happen, here’s the truth:
You didn’t.
Great companies don’t get built by solo acts.
They’re messy orchestras of contributors you rarely see.
When you take all the credit, you teach everyone else their work doesn’t matter.
And they quietly stop trying.
True Story:
I once watched a CEO (that we had invested in) stand up in front of 300+ employees and say, “I built this company from scratch.” You could feel the oxygen leave the room. Three months later, their top salesperson and head of product quit. Not because of pay…. but because they were tired of being invisible.
Remember this:
Fortune favors the specific.Meaning, refrain from things like:
“It was a team effort”
“Our team did a great job”
“We couldn’t have done it without our dedicated team”
Meh.
Even if you truly feel it, it’s a fake compliment to a generic group and nobody benefits from it.
In fact, Harvard research shows teams perform 30–35% better when leaders name names and tie them to outcomes.
How to Fix It:
Instead of lazy praise like “Great job, team!”… replace it with this:
“Maria rebuilt the comp plan that drove this quarter’s growth, and James ran the analysis that closed our biggest deal.”
Specificity isn’t a detail.
It’s the difference between loyalty and turnover.
Mistake #2: You Hide Behind the Logo
I used to think if the business was good, I should hang back. You know, let the work speak for itself.
Puh-leeze.
That’s leadership cowardice, dressed up as humility.
Nobody trusts faceless brands anymore.
People follow leaders they can see, hear, and relate to.
Another true story:
A founder I worked with refused to post publicly about their mission. They worried it would feel like bragging. Meanwhile, their competitor’s CEO posted weekly about wins, lessons, and setbacks… and became the de-facto face of the category. Same product. Very different trust and growth curves.
Remember this:
A leader without a platform is like a samurai without a sword.
One study found companies with visible leadership on LinkedIn saw 50% more trust from customers and employees.
How to Fix It:
Post what you believe, what you’re learning, and what you stand for.
You don’t need a PR team.
You just need the guts to show up.
Mistake #3: Your Vision Is a One-Man Show
Some leaders love being called “visionary.”
They give rousing speeches, flood LinkedIn with big ideas, and think their clarity is contagious.
But here’s the truth: Charisma is not vision.
If no one else gets it, you’re talking to yourself.
Another true story:
I once consulted for a company whose CEO called himself “the chief visionary.” What a joker. Then when I asked 10 employees to explain the mission, I got 10 different answers. They weren’t failing because of lack of effort… they were failing because nobody knew what they were building together.
Remember this
A real vision isn’t what the CEO says… it’s what the team can repeat.
Here is a Sharran original…
“A charismatic leader with a big idea isn’t enough. A real vision is when everyone in the company can explain it without a script and believe it without hesitation.”
-Sharran Srivatsaa
Ask yourself:
Could any person here explain why we exist in one sentence?
Do they know how their role connects to that purpose?
Would they fight for it if you weren’t in the room?
If not, y’all got some work to do.
How to Fix It:
Boil the vision down to a single, clear statement. (It’s hard, I know)
Make it the first slide of every deck, the first sentence of every kickoff, the first point in every performance review. (Super easy, start doing this now)
Ask 5 random people to explain it… without help. If they can’t, repeat it until they can.
Because a visionary isn’t one person.
It’s the collective conviction of everyone in the room.
Mistake #4: You Lead by Force
One toxic person can drag down 10–15% of your team’s productivity.
And most leaders stay silent to avoid a hard conversation.
But ignoring it isn’t kindness… it’s neglect.
Another true story:
A founder I advised tolerated a toxic sales director for six months because “he’s a rainmaker.” Revenue didn’t go up… but turnover did. When they finally let him go, morale rebounded overnight, and revenue actually improved because the team was no longer walking on eggshells.
Remember this:
If you tolerate a bad attitude, you’re writing a handbook for how to get away with it.
Some companies famously pay new hires thousands to leave if they’re not all-in. Zappos was famous for this where they gave you a bonus to leave if you didn’t want to be there. Others quietly remove disengaged people from the group until they reset.
How to Fix It:
Next time you hear “That’s not my job,” don’t let it slide.
Say: “Hey, I heard you say that… what’s going on?”Give them a chance to recalibrate.
If they don’t, politely invite them to work elsewhere.
Ain’t nobody got time for drama.
And I know you are dealing with some in your life right now.
Mistake #5: You’re Not Known for Anything
This is the silent killer of careers.
You show up, work hard, and think consistency alone will make you respected.
It won’t.
If you don’t have a skill or edge that makes you undeniable, you become optional pretty darn fast.
Another true story:
I once worked with an executive who was competent at everything but exceptional at nothing. In a re-org, she was the first to be replaced… not because she wasn’t good, but because nobody could articulate what she was essential for.
This happens…. all the time!
Think about this:
If you disappeared tomorrow, what would everyone say you were irreplaceable for?
If you can’t answer that instantly, you have a problem.
In every team, in every business, there’s an unspoken question:
“What do you do here that nobody else can?”
How to Fix It:
Call three people you trust and ask:
“If I disappeared tomorrow, where would there be a void in the company?”Whatever comes up the most… that is your differentiator.
Build around it until it becomes your brand… and that makes you undeniable. (I just wanted to use the word undeniable today, it’s sooo good)
Because when you’re known for something essential, you become the person they can’t imagine doing this without.
Final Thought
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about fixing some of the mediocre habits that quietly kill trust and slow your team down… without anyone’s knowledge.
Less “I.” More “we.” because We > Me.
Less hiding. More sharing.
Less tolerance for mediocrity. More obsession to standards.
If you want to build something that lasts, start with yourself.
Your culture is just a reflection of the behaviors you model and repeat.
Pick one thing this week:
name names, set a clearer vision, call out a bad attitude, or figure out what makes you irreplaceable.
I think you will be pleasantly surprised at what happens… especially since none of this is difficult to implement…(aka fixable).
I know this takes a little effort.
But until you win, effort always goes unnoticed.
This was such a great read. I ain't a leader yet, but I will make sure to apply all these principles when I become one.
Great read