--- title: "Daily Buzz: Avoid These Common Leadership Mistakes" id: "50430" type: "post" slug: "daily-buzz-avoid-these-common-leadership-mistakes" published_at: "2020-06-25T20:25:35+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T03:38:29+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/06/25/daily-buzz-avoid-these-common-leadership-mistakes/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/06/25/daily-buzz-avoid-these-common-leadership-mistakes.md" excerpt: "What you might be doing to disrupt employees—and how to correct it. Also: Unlock the potential of Instagram Stories with analytics." taxonomy_category: - "Executive Leadership" taxonomy_post_tag: - "API Management" - "Aspiring Leader" - "AssociationsNow" - "employee engagement" - "Leadership" - "Mid-Level Professional" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Daily Buzz: Avoid These Common Leadership Mistakes Being an effective leader is not easy, and some of the behaviors you think might be helping employees could actually be hurting their performance. For example, you may think frequent meetings help you and your team stay on the same page, but they’re probably getting in the way of work. “Meetings need to create value for employees, such as brainstorming ideas, reaching a crucial decision, or coordinating work. If it’s about anything else, skip it,” [says Syed Balkhi (opens in a new tab)](https://www.businessinsider.com/9-mistakes-bosses-make-that-can-accidentally-ruin-best-employees-2020-6) on *Business Insider*. “Give your employees back their time by choosing your meetings strategically.” Additionally, there is such a thing as giving employees *too much* information. Vague directives are a problem, but an unfiltered stream of information can do just as much to derail employee success. “‘Drinking from the firehose,’ as many people call it, is overwhelming and decreases productivity,” Balkhi says. “Deliver information in smaller chunks and through multiple channels to give them a chance to assimilate the information better.” And while some level of managerial control is useful, micromanaging subordinates causes disruptions. “Preventing employees from owning their work, their domain or their role stifles their productivity and abilities and reduces their appetite for innovation and work,” Balkhi says. “Let go and give your employees the freedom to work. Offer guidance and suggestions, not mandates and orders.” ### Optimizing Instagram Stories With Analytics > Learn how to measure Instagram Stories analytics and which metrics to track so you can optimize Stories to achieve your brand’s goals. [https://t.co/8SdfC8AOqi (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/8SdfC8AOqi) > > — Hootsuite 🦉 (@hootsuite) [June 24, 2020 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hootsuite/status/1275885261306683394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Instagram stories** **can have a [significant impact (opens in a new tab)](https://business.instagram.com/blog/how-do-people-perceive-and-use-instagram-stories-and-feed/)** on your brand’s performance. To take full advantage of them, use the app’s built-in analytics feature. To get started: Go to your Instagram profile, hit the menu icon on the upper right, tap Insights, and then scroll down to Stories. “Track Instagram insights over time so you can pinpoint top performing posts. If you spot content that outshines other Stories, look for ways to recreate it,” [says Katie Sehl on the Hootsuite blog (opens in a new tab)](https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-stories-analytics-metrics-measure/) . “Turn successful ideas into concepts. Run polls or quizzes around different themes or spin a successful tutorial into a recurring series.” ### Other Links of Note **Amid COVID-19, some are saying** they won’t visit cultural organizations such as museums. But it goes beyond current safety concerns, [says Know Your Own Bone’s (opens in a new tab)](https://www.colleendilen.com/2020/06/24/why-people-say-they-wont-visit-cultural-entities-covd-19-aside-data/) Colleen Dilenschneider. **How can nonprofits build loyal partnerships?** For one, [be sincere (opens in a new tab)](https://bloomerang.co/blog/6-ways-nonprofits-can-build-loyal-business-partnerships/) , says Stephanie Vlachos on the Bloomerang blog. **The events industry has changed drastically** the last few months. How can you adapt? *Smart Meetings* looks at the [neuroscience secrets (opens in a new tab)](https://www.smartmeetings.com/meeting-planning/health-and-wellness/127326/neuroscience-secrets-covid-19-meetings) that professionals can use. (Andrii/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Michael Hickey](https://associationsnow.com/author/michael-hickey/) Michael Hickey is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/michael-hickey/) Tags: [#API Management](https://associationsnow.com/tag/api-management/) [#Aspiring Leader](https://associationsnow.com/tag/aspiring-leader/) [#employee engagement](https://associationsnow.com/tag/employee-engagement/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#Mid-Level Professional](https://associationsnow.com/tag/mid-level-professional/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoThe Adaptive Leader: Integrating Values and Strategy to Thrive Under New LeadershipDecember 15, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/15/the-adaptive-leader-integrating-values-and-strategy-to-thrive-under-new-leadership/) - [VideoTerin Bates, MBA, CAE, CX-PRO, Shares Her Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/terin-bates-mba-cae-cx-pro-shares-her-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoThe Graham Report: How to Land a CEO JobJanuary 31, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/01/31/the-graham-report-how-to-land-a-ceo-job/) - [ArticleThe Conversations You’re Not Having Are Costing You Your Best PeopleJuly 7, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/07/the-conversations-youre-not-having-are-costing-you-your-best-people/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2020%2F06%2F25%2Fdaily-buzz-avoid-these-common-leadership-mistakes%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !