6 Leadership Mistakes to Avoid

If you've recently been promoted, congratulations. It's an honor to receive a promotion that puts you in a leadership role. But be wary: You carry a great deal of responsibility that can easily be taken away should you not live up to expectations. Not to set off alarm bells, but of people who have been promoted, a full 40 percent of them will fail within their first 18 months on the job. Most of the failure stems from a few key leadership mistakes that The Forum Corp.'s President and CEO Andrew Graham outlines:

1. Alienating your team. Graham says that you likely got your promotion by standing out from others, but now that role has changed. Rather than focusing on continuing to shine alone, you need to help your subordinates stand out. "If your subordinates or peers perceive that you care more about your interests than theirs, you will lose them. And once you lose them, you will lose, period," he says.

2. Keeping the same mindset. You got where you are by being really good at a few key skills for the job. You can just about toss those out of the window if you want to be a good leader, because, as Graham says, your focus should now be on "high-value activities that deliver business results through the team." It's all too common for new managers to make the mistake of focusing on low-value activities (think:TPS reports) that don't benefit the team and that are others' responsibilities.

3. Not asking for help. You're the leader now. That means you're expected to know everything ... doesn't it? Not at all. Rather than being overconfident you can handle a situation you've never encountered before, the smart thing is to ask for input from others. "Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it's the contrary," stresses Graham. Understand that your team will respect you for saying you don't know the answer to a question, but that you will make it a priority to find it.

4. Making all the decisions alone. Leaders should lead, not dictate. But many feel like the key to leading is taking on all the decisions on their own. Rather than being seen as a fine leader, you will be resented for leaving your employees out in the cold on a decision they felt entitled to weigh in on. Instead, involve other team members in your decision-making process so that you build a sense of community and democracy, not a dictatorship.

5. Ignoring transitions. You being promoted to manager or leader isn't the only transition you need to deal with. While you're settling into that corner office, your new team is adjusting to having a new person at the helm, and all the personal interplay that brings among co-workers. Not spending enough time making that transition smoother can set the course for how your team operates, and it might make things more difficult down the road.

6. Leaning too hard on book smarts. So you went to an Ivy League school. So what? All the fine education in the world can't prepare you for cultivating your people-leadership skills, which account for 85 percent of a leader's success, according to Graham. You can apply what you've learned in books, but the best leaders help their staff learn to solve problems themselves, and teaching that can't be learned anywhere but on the job.

The first few months of taking on a leadership role are the most precarious. Begin to think like a leader and focus your actions around what is best for the team. Ask for feedback from your staff and your own boss so that you can quickly correct anything that could stand to be improved.

12 Scary Signs That It's Time to Leave Your Company

Want to safety-proof your job? Here are 12 signs to even out your career, and discover when it's time to quit.

1. The bills aren't paid on time.

If you work with a creative agency, freelancers, outside IT, event management, or in another similar service, and your provider is telling you that their bills aren't being paid on time, your ears should perk up. Don't let the accounting department blame it on a temporary cash flow problem; ask what's really going on.

2. You don't get paid.

Even companies in trouble will do everything in their power to pay employees first and every other bill second, so if you're not getting paid or your check arrives late, know that your company's financial situation is pretty dire.

3. No raises.

Businesses need to invest in talent. Not only do stingy raises bring down morale, but it guarantees the loss of top performers as well. Happy employees are such a significant part of a sustainable business that if you hear the news that there are no salary increases for the year, run for the hills.

4. Leadership changes.

When your CEO or president is pushed out of the company, and new leadership comes in, it's time to activate your backup plan. Regardless of whether you do phenomenal work, new leadership often means a new vision and direction—one that may not include your position or even your department.

5. High turnover.

Do people keep quitting? It's often a sign of poor management, salary, and benefit practices. Constant turnover affects the entire organization too; new employees act as roadblocks until they receive the required training they need to get up to speed.

6. A hiring freeze.

Some companies will tell you about a hiring freeze, but many others simply won't fill a position when an employee quits. The explanation may be that the old position is redundant or no longer relevant to the organization's current goals, but more likely, the company needs to save cash.

7. Reorganization and restructuring.

Do you suddenly have a new boss? Did your colleague switch departments? A new organizational structure may not make sense to you, but it probably helps the spreadsheets balance. It's also a sign that the company is floundering to find its footing and focus.

8. Closed doors

If more and more meetings start to happen behind closed doors, take it as a sign that something is up. While being secretive can mean a big product launch, it can also mean that there are tough issues that need to be discussed. In general, a quiet office is a dead office.

9. Employee morale

When complaints start to outnumber celebrations, you have a problem. Look out for signs that employees start leaving early and coming in late first, then listen for the complaints. A toxic environment where all your colleagues are unhappy is not a fun or productive place to work.

10. Unclear direction, goals, or mission

If you're not sure what you should be working on from one week to the next, and asking for clarification gets you nowhere, take it as a sign that the company ship is sinking. Employees need clear, organizational leadership to execute on.

11. Delayed implementation

Got great ideas but can't push them through? When you aren't allowed to execute on even low-cost strategies, it's often a frustrating sign that you won't be able to contribute any sort of meaningful work any time soon. Watch out, your company is probably coming to a standstill.

12. Frenzied, stop-and-go pace

One week you're knee-deep into new objectives and tasks, and the next week your plate is empty. What's going on? A stop-and-go pace will make it impossible to build upon success or failure, so try to find some consistency or find a new job.

6 Things That Make You Look Amateur on Your Resume

1. Short-term jobs.

If you quit a job after a few weeks because you couldn't see your future there, don't put it on your resume. Employers look at short-term jobs as a sign that you're flighty, and you want to avoid that perception at all costs. If you have more short-term jobs (that relate to the one you want) than long-term, or many short-term consulting arrangements, you can add them into a section for one year. If you are listing many consulting assignments, make sure it's clear in your resume that it was not a full-time, permanent position.

2. Job experience that doesn't relate.

If you're trying to work as an administrative assistant, but one of your past jobs was working as a restaurant server, leave that one off the list. However, if your job history doesn't provide enough experience for the Work History section of your resume, find ways to connect the unrelated work to what you want to do. For example, when you worked as a server, were there any tasks that related to the administrative assistant position you're vying for? You might be surprised to find that some of the skills you learned will translate for the job you want. Highlight these points in your resume.

3. Every responsibility you had at a job.

Focus on a high level, and keep only what relates to the job you're applying for. A resume isn't the place to copy your job description; instead, it's meant to highlight the best of what you've done at past companies and tie it to what you will do with your next employer.

4. References

While you do need a list of people who can vouch for you as an employee and overall exemplary citizen, you don't have to include the list with your resume. And don't add the phrase "References Available Upon Request." It's a given you have and will provide references when it comes to that point in the interview process.

5. Hobbies.

Many argue that listing your hobbies on your resume gives the employer a better sense of your overall character. While that might be true, hobbies can also be used against you and employers can jump to conclusions about you before having the chance to meet you. Unless the hobby relates to the job you want and it's not covered in your job experience, keep it off.

6. Why you left a job.

Save this for the interview. Some job applications may ask for this information, but never volunteer it on your own. Explanations on your resume are required to be brief and could easily cast you in a negative light. It's much better to discuss this in person when you'll have the opportunity to explain further, if necessary.