[December 12, 2016] Many books, articles, news stories, and such have written about bad bosses and all of us have spoken to one another about the poor leadership we’ve experienced. And I’ve written about the topic before (see links here, here, and here). Oftentimes leaders present a common picture of those traits of bad junior leaders who are simply bad at leadership.
Here is my take on what you might find in a bad junior leader, as distinguished from a more senior leader:
- Lack of Respect (for those junior while doing the opposite for senior leaders)
- Rude and Selfish Behavior (which often comes with a feeling of superiority and privilege)
- Negativity (in many forms but especially when it comes to work interactions with junior employees)
- Unethical Conduct (there is nothing worse than someone who willingly gives up trust and confidence to personal whims)
- Laziness (physical and intellectual laziness means employees can expect little from that leader)
- Quick to Hog the Credit (instead of sharing it, the bad boss believes only he is responsible)
- Fails to Provide Rewards or Recognition (to those who deserve it)
- Rarely Available (for leaders it’s about always being there for everyone, in particular for junior personnel)
- Rejects All Feedback (feedback should be seen as a gift; otherwise you will not receive it)
- Fails to Delegate (it has been said that a leader cannot delegate responsibility yet authority must be freely given)
- Uses Discipline Inappropriately (oftentimes, simple positive communication is all that is required)
- Causes Dissention (among and between groups)
- Establishes an Environment of In and Out-Groups (inappropriately rejects some employees over others)
- Impatient (desires immediate results)
You might have predicted, while reading this list, that those bad leaders would quickly learn from their behavior after receiving feedback from their senior bosses. This is however rarely the case. Either the junior leader rejects the feedback or uses it against junior employees. The bad junior leader is also very good at hiding from responsibility; this is a common trait too often found.
[Don’t forget to “Like” the Leader Maker at our Facebook Page.]