BY MARCEL SCHWANTES, INC. CONTRIBUTING EDITOR AND FOUNDER, LEADERSHIP FROM THE CORE@MARCELSCHWANTES

For Inc.

Photo: Getty Images

Effective leaders put aside their expertise to get the best out of colleagues. They heighten the collective genius of those in their organizations. And in doing so, their teams overcome obstacles that, at first glance, seemed insurmountable.

Ineffective leaders, on the other hand, flex their expertise in the moment. They feel good about their decisions, while their colleagues feel isolated, unheard, and undervalued. And as a result, their organizations whither away in response to challenges.

To understand the tactics of effective leaders in high-functioning organizations during difficult times, I caught up with Dr. Richard Winters, author of You’re the Leader. Now What?: Leadership Lessons from Mayo Clinic.

I asked Winters what he has seen as an emergency physician, executive coach, and director for leadership development as the most effective tactics of the leaders he advises.

Winters noted four specific things effective leaders do (and less effective leaders don’t do) as they face obstacles.

1. Effective leaders map their decisions.

Ineffective leaders make decisions based on reflexes that lie behind blind spots. They jump to options and ways forward before clearly understanding the problem. They amplify the voices of the powerful few and silence others. And they fail to identify the best process for decisions. This leaves colleagues disengaged and confused.

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