Are you a leader or just a friend to the people on your team? It’s a question that many leaders struggle with when it comes to growing their team and creating other leaders. The truth is, choosing your relationships over leadership can create a roadblock that prevents you from reaching your goals. In this article, we’ll explore why this happens and what you can do to shift your mindset and become a more effective leader.

The Relationship Roadblock

The relationships you have with your team can get in the way of your ability to lead them effectively. It’s natural to want to be liked by the people you work with, but when it comes at the expense of your leadership, it becomes a problem. Here are a few examples of how this can play out:

Confrontation: As a leader, you need to be willing to have difficult conversations with your team members when necessary. Whether it’s addressing performance issues or conflicts between team members, confrontation is an essential part of leadership. However, if you’re too focused on maintaining your relationships, you may shy away from these conversations, which can lead to bigger problems down the line.

Holding people accountable: When team members don’t meet expectations, it’s your job as a leader to hold them accountable. This means setting clear expectations, providing feedback, and following through on consequences when necessary. If you’re more concerned with maintaining your friendships, you may be more likely to let things slide, which can undermine your credibility as a leader.

Setting boundaries: As a leader, you need to set boundaries to ensure that you’re able to do your job effectively. This may mean saying no to requests that aren’t aligned with your goals or delegating tasks to others. If you’re too focused on being a friend, you may have a hard time saying no or setting boundaries, which can lead to burnout and resentment.

Telling people ‘sorry, no’: As a leader, you need to make tough decisions that may not be popular with everyone on your team. This could mean turning down requests for time off, denying a raise, or canceling a project. If you’re more focused on maintaining your friendships, you may be reluctant to make these tough calls, which can undermine your authority and credibility as a leader.

Why It’s Important to Shift Your Mindset

If you’re more concerned with being a friend than a leader, it can be easy to get stuck in your business. You may struggle to grow your team or create other leaders, which can limit your ability to achieve your goals. Here are a few reasons why it’s important to shift your mindset and prioritize leadership:

Creates clarity: When you’re clear about your role as a leader, it’s easier to make decisions that align with your goals and vision for your team. By focusing on leadership rather than friendships, you can create clarity around what you need to do to achieve your objectives.

Builds trust: When you’re willing to have difficult conversations, hold people accountable, and set boundaries, you demonstrate that you’re a trustworthy and reliable leader. This can help build trust with your team members, which is essential for creating a positive and productive work environment.

Promotes growth: When you prioritize leadership, you create opportunities for growth and development for yourself and your team members. By setting clear expectations, providing feedback, and holding people accountable, you can help your team members develop new skills and take on new challenges.

How to Shift Your Mindset

If you’re ready to shift your mindset and become a more effective leader, here are a few tips to get you started:

Clarify your role: Take some time to reflect on what your role as a leader entails. What are your goals for your team, and what do you need to do to achieve them? By clarifying your role, you can start to prioritize leadership