6 Common Traits of Bad Leadership (and How to Fix these Poor Leadership Qualities in Your Organization)
You’re working diligently at your desk when your manager stops by your cubicle
with yet another business initiative they want you to spearhead (remind you of
anyone?). What he doesn’t realize — or take the opportunity to look into —
is that you’re already leading the efforts on several side projects, in
addition to your day-to-day tasks. “He means well,” you rationalize, this is
an “opportunity.”
And while that might be true, it doesn’t make up for bad leadership —
especially when employees’ relationship with their boss is a leading reason
they decide to leave a job. According to a 2016 survey by Paychex, 44.6 percent of the 2,000 employees surveyed
said they left their previous job because they didn’t like their boss. Recent
research into employee satisfaction reinforces the data. A study of 2,500 US
workers last year, more than half said the people they worked with and their
immediate boss were more important to their job satisfaction than whether they
were interested in their work. (Statista Research Department, Nov 4,
2020)
Poor leadership qualities take on many forms and qualities and are critical to
address to improve company performance and employee retention. If you’re in a
position of leadership and want to improve your leadership skills, or are
assessing leadership abilities and bench strength and where to improve it at
your current company, here are some of the common traits to look out for:
1. Poor Communication
Leadership at every level requires clear and effective communication. Poor
communications in your bosses’ management style manifests in vague project
deliverables, poorly defined timelines, and ambiguous roles and
responsibilities. At a higher level, poor communication can come in the form
of unclear team values, culture, vision, and goals. Team members take
direction from good leaders, and being a great leader means taking the time to ensure that the status quo is one that inspires self confidence and a strong
work ethic among your team.
Just as important is how communication skills come into play during the day to
day of work. Poor communication in a work setting can manifest in different
ways. Some common signs of bad leadership include passive aggressive
communication, failure to own up to mistakes, not listening to concerns, or
creating an intimidating work environment.
Passive aggressive communication
This is a big part of disintegrating relationships. Poor leaders are indirect
with how they communicate, which is a negative trait for the work environment.
Even though what is said doesn’t sound confrontational, it is not clear to the
person on the receiving end.
Failure to accept responsibility
The “he said, she said” games do not work well when fostering team cohesion
among employees. Especially in a setting where there are usually levels of
leadership, blaming others does not create a solution and only reflects bad
leadership. Lack of responsibility can make situations unclear, tensions
higher, and lower team performance.
Not listening to an individuals’ concerns
Lack of listening is one of the main factors of poor communication.
Communication is a two-way street, and if someone feels they are not being
listened to, they quickly feel disconnected and disregarded. Someone who feels
like their input does not matter will not care to improve relations or work
hard to complete their work. Everyone wants to feel heard and recognized, so
be sure to address all concerns to improve communication. The team is more
important than the self. Taking a “my way or the highway” approach to work is
a sign of a bad leader and will only foster resentment among team members.
Intimidating work environment
Along the same veins, an intimidating work environment is damaging to
communication because the side that feels intimidated will not feel
comfortable addressing their concerns or needs. Some might think that
intimidation and fear are good leadership qualities, but it actually has a
negative effect on team members because they become more concerned with
pleasing someone than doing their job. Team members should feel comfortable
expressing their opinions and personal goals. Having the space to do so are
signs that the company values every individual and not just those at the top.
How to become a better communicator
Clarify
If you are being led by a bad leader with subpar communication skills, take
actions that will help you get clarity as well as support the leader. First,
ask clarifying questions that don’t threaten, such as: “to make sure I deliver
my part of the project on time; can you confirm what you need from me and by
when? “ or “I am very excited that we are launching a new product. Would you
help me understand how this product fits into our bigger goals?” This helps
them better clarify what they may want from you without accusing them of being
unclear. In this way, the bosses are also receiving subtle hints about what
differentiates a poor leader from a good leader and can help them develop
their leadership style over time.
Watch your tone
Coming at them in an accusing manner can really rub off the wrong way, even if
they are bad leaders. It can often be intimidating to reach out and
communicate with your higher-ups, but it encourages a better work environment.
Sometimes leaders are not aware that their communication is lacking, and one
person reaching out could completely change this. You also don’t want to take
a “my way or the highway” approach, but rather open up a dialogue about
improving overall team performance. It’s annoying to manage your superiors,
but they may also be in the process of identifying their own leadership traits
and need some patience from the team.
2. Poor Influencing From the Top
Good leaders are able to engage, share, involve, and connect with their team.
A leader’s ability to influence combines a combination of qualities, including
trust, communication skills, knowledge, and the ability to negotiate. Poor
leaders are limited to leveraging the hierarchical power and authority, which
are characteristics that hamper productivity in the workplace. Furthermore,
someone who depends on their positional authority vs their ability to engage
and create inherent motivation in others is a bad leader who risks alienating
their team and peers and undermining their own long-term success.
As well as the inability to motivate employees, bad leaders feel that they can
act in any manner they want, when the reality is that the actions of a leader
are actually more scrutinized. Little interactions with team members can
differentiate bad leaders from great leaders. If you are building up your track record as a leader, it is even more important
to watch your actions and be the best influence you can be.
How to improve your influence in the workplace
It can be difficult to influence your employees, especially in a position of
power. You want to make sure that it is not your authority that is influencing
their behavior. Recognize and have the self awareness to know that being in a
position of leadership comes with some inherent characteristics that you can
then use to be more effective. Some leadership qualities to improve your
influence in the workplace include:
Lead by example
As a leader or as a team member, you should lead by example. This includes
both your actions and your words. If a leader constantly comes in late or act
intimidating to others, managers below them may start to act in a similar
manner. In addition, be clear about your requests and intentions. In doing so,
you’re setting a precedent for how you would like communications to be like
going forward. Good leaders will find ways to address concerns without
attacking the other person, whereas a bad leader will lack the tact needed
when they identify that something is wrong.
Being present
This is incredibly important for leaders. Since they may not always work in
the same environment as others, it is important for communication. Constantly
showing up and showing that you care will let you earn respect as well as
improve relationships. Some things are better said in person and not trickled
down or said in an email. A bad leader will be consistently absent, but
showing up physically shows that you care to make relationships with others in
the workplace.
Improve workplace dynamics
This is a given, but many leaders brush this off. Even though it may not be
part of the business or task, in order to foster a welcoming and successful
workplace, leaders must develop meaningful and respectful relationships with
others. People are influenced by people they look up to and respect, not fear.
3. Lack of Strategic Thinking
Leaders who lack strategic thinking skills lack the ability to think through
things and identify practical steps required to fulfill their objectives. This
is a sign of bad leadership, since those in charge are meant to lead the team
to success. Of course, no one has all the right answers, but being able to
think strategically is a skill that can be practiced and learned. A big part
of the downfall of a poor leader is that they rely too much on themselves to
make a decision, rather than being methodical about the work. Strategic
thinking not only involves the leader but also the organization, team members,
and environment surrounding it.
How to become a better strategic thinker
Some leadership qualities around strategy to keep in mind are:
Anticipate scenarios
Especially in a workplace where there is a lot going on, the ability to
anticipate different scenarios and problems helps you prepare. Being prepared
lets you better address the situation and handle all types of problems. Some
ways to do this is to talk to people who have experience or research and plan
ahead of time, rather than being content with the status quo, since you never
know when things will change.
Challenge own and other’s ideas
This is an important trait of a good leader. Even though it is important to
listen and address other people’s concerns and ideas, the ability to challenge
those ideas helps the team grow. Anyone at the company should be able to bring
up new ideas to improve company performance. Think about approaching the
company like an entrepreneur; there are always different ways to “hack” your
work and it’s important to take informed risks.
Make tough calls and decisions
This is also easier said than done, but experience and trust in your team
helps in times where tough calls are needed. This is another time when you
have to put the team before the self. The fact of the matter is that leaders
will always have to make decisions that affect people, and compromising is
sometimes a better outcome, even if that means some people won’t be happy. The
other side of the spectrum of fear-mongering is being a people pleaser, which
can be a sign of a poor leader as well.
Keep the bigger picture in mind
A common mistake when making decisions is a narrow outlook. To be able to
strategically think, taking a broad outlook and asking the right questions to
the right people is necessary. Poor leadership will lack the foresight to look
on a bigger timeline and to assess the forest, not just a tree or the leaves.
4. Poor Time Management / Delegation:
Poor time management usually manifests in the form of last minute rushes to
meet deadlines and leaders who take on too many things. Effective leaders are
able to plan and delegate so that each person is clear on their role and
delivers accordingly. Often times people try to put too much work on
themselves, or push all the work on others. Effectively delegating the work helps everyone get their work done on time.
How to better manage your time
Keep everything organized. Communicate with your team to see if they need more
time or help with the tasks that have been assigned. An effective leader isn’t
afraid to get their hands dirty; in fact, they willingly get down in the
trenches with employees and are open to hearing their team’s opinions on how things should be managed.
How to delegate
Similarly, over time, if you communicate effectively, you will be able to
better assess the tasks and delegate the right amount to the right people.
Great leaders understand the importance of recognizing talent within a company
and will not be afraid to let someone else take on responsibilities and the
credit for a good idea. If you are in a leadership position, such as being the
CEO of a company, your success hinges on the success of the whole team, not
just the work that you do. A bad leader will want to do everything by himself
and take credit when the company is doing well, but forgets that the onus is on him if company performance is subpar.
5. Poor Conflict Resolution Skills
Whether it’s avoiding an office conflict or an important project that may
affect others, avoidance is a common sign of a bad leader and is another
example of poor leadership influencing team culture. Instead of addressing
grievances directly, bad leaders take the easy way out by brushing things
under the rug.
“It is usually in cases of stress or confrontation that a leader shows him or
“herself to be strong or weak,” says Patrick West, founder and CEO of Be The
Machine. For employees, when a leader fails to solve a problem or does not
“support subordinates, the perception of the leader is forged. But the most
glaring moment is when a boss elects to avoid or not confront a sticky
situation. When that happens, a boss is clearly weak.”
How to better handle conflict in the workplace
To better handle conflict in the workplace it is better to address the problem
head on. There is no need to go about it in a roundabout way. A good rule of
thumb is to determine what caused the conflict, so it is better avoided next
time. The five different conflict resolution methods are:
Avoiding
This type of behavior only works in some cases, and in others, it may lead to
worsening of the situation. For smaller situations or more personal ones,
withdrawing from the conflict may be smart. When emotions are high, sometimes
the conflict is not able to be resolved. Even though this method is called
avoiding, the problem should still be addressed at an appropriate time.
Accommodating
This method requires cooperation from all parties. This method is great for
the workplace since employees can learn to work together and resolve
situations even if they do occur.
Competing
This method is only effective or used if a decision is needed immediately.
Usually this method uses a position of power to resolve the conflict and is
not always helpful in the long run. Do not use this method if you are not
knowledgeable of the situation and if there are other methods you can use.
Collaborating
This method lets everyone voice and resolve their concerns. This method
usually results in a stronger team collaboration and requires more
cooperation. This is a great method, however, do note that it takes a bit of
time.
Compromising
This method is similar to collaborating, but the end result is more of a
middle ground. This method is great for tougher situations since both parties
need to make some sort of sacrifice.
6. Lack of Leadership Development
Often employees who perform very well as individual contributors are
“rewarded” with leadership or management roles. The downside of their success
is that they are often not ready for the role of leading and managing others.
Not preparing new leaders for their job sets them up for failure and also
failure of the people they lead.
As a leader looking to promote employees who are new to leading others, it is
critical to invest in their leadership development.
Oftentimes people are pushed into a leadership role just because it needs to
be filled based upon their success in their current role. Promoting someone
without preparation is gambling on their success and success of the company.
Ensure the success of people who are taking on a promotion or expanded role
with the leadership development support they need. .
How to empower leaders
To prevent promoting someone into a leadership role they’re not quite ready
for, offer leadership development opportunities, such as mentorships or job
shadowing, to potential leaders before promoting them. This gives them a taste
of what to expect and informs whether or not they can succeed in the role.
Just like how there is a probation period for most employees, this should be a
part of a leadership role as well. Proper training is essential to fostering
effective leadership qualities.
“We must look beyond performance in the current role, and assess potential for
“excellence in the new role,” says Sternberg. When you start focusing on
“potential, you begin looking through a different lens, and something really
“interesting happens. You’ll notice that some employees who are not stars in
“their current role have the potential to be stars as leaders. They’re better
“coaches than players.”
Final thoughts
A good leader is not defined by the position you hold in your company; it
starts by having self awareness of your actions within a larger organization
and how you can influence everyone around you, no matter what level of the
company their position is in. It is important to remember that everyone has
qualities that lend itself to being a good leader; the idea that only some are
born to be leaders should be replaced with the notion that everyone can learn
to be one.
That said, it’s not a bad thing if you’re not formally recognized with a title
in a company either. Leadership qualities can come from all facets of an
organization, and little actions can bubble up to the top to improve company
performance and employee satisfaction overall. Regardless if you’re a team
member or a manager, HR leader or even the CEO of a company, keeping these
poor leadership qualities in mind will help you avoid common pitfalls and know
what to look for as you’re building your career.