5 Things That Make a Bad Leader
Posted on June 17, 2020 by Mike Weaver, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.
I know in my own management career, I have had the misfortune to work for some (what I would call) bad leaders or bad managers.
While I can’t say that I particularly enjoyed working for some of those individuals, I did always learn something from them. In every case, I learned what not to do. I always told myself that if I ever became a manager or leader, I would remember how I was treated and make sure I never treated others how I was treated. Poor or weak leaders are the weakest link we have in business, in government, and even in families. As you advance in your career, here are 5 things never to do a a leader:
Take All the Credit: There were many times where I was the employee in the trenches and provided all the detailed work to my boss who took the credit for my idea. Don’t be that person. The right thing to do would have been to recognize me for my contributions. By taking all the credit, I lost all desire to help my boss. Had he given me proper recognition, I would have put out forest fires for him.
Be Rude: There is absolutely no excuse to ever be rude or speak to anyone in a non-professional manner. I don’t care how bad a day you are having at home or work, always maintain your composure. Your employees don’t deserve your attitude.
Blame Others: This is sort of the opposite of the first point. I’ve also had bosses that would certainly take the credit when they didn’t deserve it, but would also be quick to find a scapegoat when things went wrong. Rather than be the leader who took the fall for their team, they made others look bad to protect their own image.
Care Only About Yourself: Nothing stands out in someone who is a bad leader more than the “leader” who only cares about themselves. Leaders who are not concerned about the well-being of their team shouldn’t be leaders. Leaders who use others for their own personal gain shouldn’t be in positions of leadership; simple as that.
Be Dishonest: Here, I’m not speaking of obvious dishonesty such as stealing. I’m referring to more stealth dishonesty such as being untrustworthy. I’ve had bosses who lied to their bosses in order to make themselves seem better. To make things worse, they knew that I knew they lied and didn’t care. Being dishonest does absolutely nothing to build or foster trust.
The world is full of bad leaders. Don’t be one of them.
