Can you remember the last time you had to work with a terrible leader? He didn’t care too much about helping you succeed, did he? Do you have the ability to identify a bad leader quickly? Let me show you how Microsoft identifies a bad leader.
That is an important skill. Why do you say this? It is to be able to move on as fast as possible. Without any harm or foul.
A bad leader is identified by an ability to destroy the effectiveness of his team. He is that particularly bad manager who sucks the joy, life, energy, and enthusiasm out of their organization.
Instead of performing high quality work that adds value to the organization, he does uninspired, mediocre work.
Instead of providing great customer service that inspires customers to sing their praises, he does sloppy, inattentive work that annoys their customers.
These leaders are the arrogant, irritating, snarky people who make good people want to quit and move on, even though they like the company.
I have been in the military and business world for forty years, and I often get asked what it takes to be a top line leader.
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Microsoft experience leads them to the ability to recognize both good and bad leaders. Today we will focus on the traits of bad leadership. Here is a list of the traits of leaders Microsoft avoids at all costs.
If you want to avoid being identified as being a bad leader, work to avoid these traits:
Microsoft identifies a bad leader … pessimism
People want to follow an optimist, a person always looking to prioritize and solve problems.
Most people want to stay away from negative vibes at all costs. And certainly, leaders who allow problems to fester into big issues.
Not able to make decisions
A terrible leader lacks the ability to assess the core issues of situations and quickly decide on a course of action. They struggle with decisiveness.
Lacking preparation
Most poor leaders are lazy and delegate 100% of the work. They are rarely prepared for anything and most often look hopeless.
Microsoft identifies a bad leader … poor judge of character
Poor leaders avoid surrounding themselves with the talent that would make them look bad. They rarely if ever seek or listen to other people’s points of view.
No fearlessness
Fear is a crippling thing, especially to a terrible leader. It affects everything they do, most importantly their decision-making.
Avoid adversity
Poor leaders avoid controversy. Terrible leaders usually try and please the majority. They don’t stick their guns or follow their heart.
Microsoft identifies a bad leader … not trustworthy
Trust is a key element most bad leaders have a difficult time building in their teams. It is not built on words, but through actions and evidence which is most often missing.
Use fights to reach consensus
Fights are emotional, often personal, disagreements which do not lead to consensus. They are frequently a tool for the terrible leader.
Makes decisions in the heat of the moment
You know those bosses that get all riled up and then start rapid-firing people? That’s not a leader.
That’s a trigger-happy manager on a power trip—and there’s a difference.
A leader waits until the heat of the moment has passed so that he or she can give solid thought to the situation before coming to a conclusion.
Microsoft identifies a bad leader … avoid change
Bad leaders react to change rather than initiating change. They are always chasing after what they don’t understand.
They rarely understand why to change is necessary, and how it will make the situation better.
Non-communicators
Communication is the glue that forms the bond between leaders and teams and holds great teams together.
Poor leaders don’t communicate with their teams and don’t know when to speak and when to remain silent.
Identify a bad leader … no listening
Poor leaders don’t want to hear what you have to say. They are awful listeners because they are usually too wrapped up in themselves.
Microsoft identifies a bad leader … lacking beliefs
Weak leaders rarely know themselves, what they believe in, or where they are going.
Acts first and listens second
Someone who jumps to conclusions without first seeking to understand has made a fatal error—for themselves and their team.
To lead people effectively, you have to take the time to listen and see things from their perspective. You have to put yourself in their shoes and fully understand the situation.
Tries to be the smartest person in the room
If someone hires people or surrounds themselves with people less qualified than themselves simply to remain in a position of power, then they feel threatened.
You never want to be the smartest person in the room. If you are, you’re in the wrong room.
Great leaders know this and seek to surround themselves with masters of their crafts. The leader’s job, then, is to “play the orchestra.”
Lack of personality
It’s not how smart you are like poor leaders think. It is strong personal relationships and high levels of trust that are the foundation of effective leadership.
Terrible leaders rarely grasp this aspect of effective leadership. They lack empathy, any interest in others, and or good, solid relationships.
Microsoft identifies a bad leader … faultless
Bad leaders never think anything is their fault. They never apologize because in their imaginary world they are never wrong.
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Always telling what to do
Good leaders normally ask you to do something for them and only occasionally tell you what to do. Bad ones never ask, they always tell.
And they demand that you to stop whatever you are doing to get it done for them regardless of what else you have to do.
Don’t admit what they don’t know
It’s dangerous when someone claims to “know everything.”
A good leader is ok with not having all the answers, and knowing that they will find the people who do.
They don’t see it as a weakness—because it’s not. It’s merely part of the process.
Microsoft identifies a bad leader … creates bad teamwork culture
Poor leaders create a culture of infighting and backbiting sabotage of the team’s effort.
The bottom line
Remember this simple reminder; effective leadership skills, like swimming, cannot be learned by reading about it.
It takes lots of consistent practice. You need to dive into the pool as soon as possible.
What was previously a rapacious monopolist, is now an enthusiastic collaborator.
That’s no accident. Today, we need to compete in an ecosystem-driven world in which nobody, not even a firm as big and powerful as Microsoft, can go it alone. Power no longer comes from the top of value chains but emanates from the center of networks. That means that strategy needs to shift from dominating industries to building collaborative ecosystems.
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More leadership material from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
Build an Effective Team by Being a Talent Hound
Success Enablers of Highly Creative Leaders
Secrets to Becoming a Remarkably Mindful Leader
Leadership Characteristics That Improve Influence |