Great Leadership Vs Poor Leadership

When you look at past performance, poor leadership is obvious. People who consistently fail to deliver are not leaders. Although past performance is no guarantee of future results, a long-term track record of success is not to be overlooked. While a long-term track record of success is an excellent indication of future performance, hiring a leader who is new or unproven comes with a risk premium. Instead of settling for an inexperienced leader, smart companies reward and recognize potential.

Bad leaders micromanage

When bad leaders micromanage their employees, it inevitably results in lost control, communication, and management. Ultimately, micromanagement ruins trust, resulting in lower productivity and lower morale among employees. Employees who work under micromanagers will often refuse to do anything without their permission. These employees will often suffer from health problems, as well. Luckily, there are ways to spot bad micromanagers and avoid becoming one yourself.

The first step to avoiding micromanagers is to understand their personality and their motivations. Micromanagers are often very good at what they do, but they don't necessarily have great leadership qualities. In fact, micromanaging can actually magnify any weakness in a leader, causing it to become worse than it was before. Micromanagers often lack the skills necessary to empower others and lead from their authenticity. As a result, they don't understand how to motivate, empower, and support others.

In order to avoid micromanaging, effective leaders delegate to their employees. This way, they don't have to check every step of the way. Instead, they set up employees for success and provide assistance as needed. Micromanagers get stuck in the weeds trying to control everything and lose focus on the big picture. By contrast, effective leaders delegate, empower, and encourage employees to take initiative. Authentic leaders provide specific feedback and encouragement to help their employees improve.

They lack empathy

One of the most common traits of a great leader is the ability to empathize with others. Yet, despite the widespread importance of empathy, leaders tend to lack it in varying degrees. In some cases, this lack is caused by a lack of empathy in childhood, while in others it is a result of a difficult environment or a low empathetic capacity at birth. Whatever the case, there are a number of ways to treat a lack of empathy in leadership.

In addition to being one of the best ways to encourage innovation, empathic leaders also foster a culture of inclusion. In fact, companies with high levels of empathy are more likely to experience increased productivity and lower employee turnover. An example of an organization that promotes empathy is Catalyst, an international not-for-profit that works to promote women in leadership positions. One study from Catalyst found that companies with a lack of empathy were 13% less innovative than those that have a high level of empathy.

Leaders without empathy are less likely to share ideas. People tend to be afraid of the unknown, which stifles the creativity of groups. When this fear prevents people from contributing ideas, the leader will focus on his or her own needs, rather than on the needs of others. While a high level of empathy is necessary for effective leadership, it can be difficult to find time for it. However, the ROI can be huge.

They are inconsistent

Inconsistency is the worst trait of a bad leader. Inconsistent behaviors range from leading with fear to not playing favorites. Inconsistent mood swings are also a sign of a poor leader. Inconsistency dries up team energy, patience, and creativity. It's important to set boundaries between your leadership style and your team's needs. Rather than constantly trying to change your team's attitude, consider ways to improve your team's work-life balance.

This inconsistent behavior may work in some situations but backfire in others. For instance, if a supervisor undercuts an employee, then later tries to make up for the undermining behavior by being extra helpful. Consistent behavior is frustrating for employees, because it creates uncertainty about their job performance and their relationship with their supervisor. As a result, employees become suspicious of the supervisor and their relationship. Even worse, employees tend to believe that a good leader has no time for them.

A poor leader doesn't explain important decisions to others. They fail to ask for feedback from their employees and often dismiss it as irrelevant. Inconsistent leadership reflects a lack of care for their team and the work of others. Ultimately, it shows lack of responsibility and incompetence. If you're a bad leader, you should stop acting like one. Don't let your team feel confused and unreliable.

They lack vision

One of the worst enemies of good leadership is a lack of vision. Without it, no leader can effectively lead. Without vision, people are likely to look to a leader's competence and command as the most important qualities. Those lacking vision are often considered weak. Because of this, they tend to minimize their lack of vision and focus on other qualities, like hands-on implementation and inspiration. Those who lack vision often struggle with deciding which projects to pursue, thereby causing confusion and exhaustion at work.

Vision is the art of seeing a better future than what is currently in sight. It must be inspiring, attractive, and feasible. People who follow great leaders have a compelling vision. Many have been inspired to buy cars or personal computers because they had a winning aspiration. Inspire your team and the entire company. That's how vision drives great leadership. Ultimately, people will want to work for a vision-driven leader.