Here are some characteristics of a bad leader that may seem surprising or a little too familiar:
They avoid or ignore conflict
Whether in a direct conflict with another employee or when it is necessary to mediate between two parties in a dispute, a leader should not pretend that everything is fine and assume that things will be settled themselves! Avoiding disagreements or unpleasant situations can cause accumulated frustration, bitterness or miscommunication .
So, even though a leader might think that he is doing everyone a favor by avoiding confrontation, it can easily explode in his face one day or another. A good leader will approach the situation with an open mind and a proactive mentality.
They enjoy their power instead of empowering others
Being in a position of power does not mean that one has carte blanche to abuse this privilege. A true leader will make a conscious effort to inspire others, invest time in developing the team and help his employees become better. When the title or position in the ranking goes to the head, the focus shifts from the team’s accountability to the desire to boost one’s self-esteem. Leadership is not about controlling employees – it’s about guiding them and giving them direction so that they can grow and reach their full potential.
The best approach is to clearly define each person’s expectations and roles, to invite comments and to create stimulating opportunities for others to help them spread their wings. Empower employees to grow together!
They never show their vulnerability
Leaders can perceive their role as powerful, robust and invincible and always want to demonstrate a mask of perfection – and this can be more daunting than inspiring. What many leaders do not see is that this image of power so unrealistic can be perceived as unaffordable or as having a magic armor that protects these people from the daily problems that employees suffer from day-to-day.
Since when is vulnerability a bad thing? It allows those you are trying to empower to see that you too are susceptible to mistakes, regrets and frustrations, and that criticism and rejection also have an impact on your state of mind – in short, that you too are a human! Showing vulnerability can help your subordinates understand you better and feel less defeated by their own weaknesses. But as usual, moderation tastes better!
They are blind to their team’s strengths
While we’re not sure under what category of flaws we could classify this trait – perhaps as bad judgment of character? The inability to identify potential in others? In any case, you see what we mean.
Leaders who do not know how, or yet do not make the effort to see the forces of the workforce move blindly. They can then delegate tasks to those who are not done to fulfill them, or simply not see the natural talent of an employee when he could have been very helpful in performing certain tasks.
A good leader uses the tools that reveal the true potential of others , which not only helps to better assign tasks, but also provides an opportunity to continue to motivate employees and communicate with them in the most effective way possible. To not see these natural reflexes is to see only the tip of the iceberg .
They never admit to being responsible
Being a leader always means accepting some responsibility for the outcome of projects or tasks that must be performed. This means taking the initiative rather than blaming others or feeling victimized. So, we must admit that the problem is our responsibility and take action to resolve or correct the situation.
A good leader does not just accept praise for good things and ignore bad ones. Of course, sometimes it’s easier said than done! It is easier to point fingers and be passive, but it is much more productive to be proactive and want to improve the situation and improve yourself. One must then wonder how one can perfect one’s performance as well as those of others. Like a captain who sinks with his ship, the leader should not abandon his team when the situation turns sour.
They just do not listen
For leaders, there are many ways to listen. It’s not just about being silent when someone shares their point of view; it is also to pay attention to the non-verbal language, to give comments to others on what they have just shared as well as to paraphrase and confirm what they have just said.
There is also the whole field of self-knowledge, the true understanding of one’s own style of communication. Maybe you are an extrovert who loves to have all the spotlight on him and therefore initiate several discussions a day. Or maybe you know that during a discussion, you tend to leave on tangents after 5 minutes. Whatever the situation, know what you need to work on in terms of communication (how you express yourself and how you listen) so you can hear what your team has to say.
Before you determine who will be your next leader, make sure you have a clear understanding of what you want him to achieve as a goal. Also make sure that they have the qualities and characteristics of a good leader, and if your individual will be a good fit with the team he will lead. Good leaders have a vision of the future and want to make a difference in building the next generation oaders.
Leadership anagement
It is not always easy to distinguish a leader from a manager. These two terms are often confused and considered as synonyms. However, there are important differences between leadership and management. A leader is a person who, within a group, takes most initiatives, leads the other members of the group and holds the command, while a manager is a person who makes management, who organizes, manages something, runs a business, a service, etc. The manager is designated by his hierarchy as the leader of a group. He represents and exercises some authority over the group he has to manage. Being a manager is therefore a status in the company.
Do these qualities seem all too familiar to you? Hopefully not! If you want to find out what else you should NOT be, stay tuned to our next post.
At the same time, if you are committed to change and growth, we have programmes ready for managers to make the jump to leadership. Feel free to contact our growth consultants to find out more about our upcoming leadership programmes. We are committed to creating real change in the community in our in-class sessions, and hope you see you and your teams’ breakthroughs!