1. 13.Lecture top20 bad leadershiptraitsIcame up with.Iwelcome youradditionsandcomments.
 Havingtunnel vision
 Micromanaging
 Beingincompetent
 Beingrulesorientedandnotpeopleoriented
 Demandingperfection
 HavingFear anddoubtsregarding employees’competence
 Havinglowself-esteemandconfidence
 Havingemotional insecurityandimmaturity
 Making decisionsbasedonemotions
 Actingas a roadblockbetweenuppermanagersandemployees
 Actingdifferentlyinfrontof theirsuperiorsandsubordinates
 Blamingothersforfailuresandtakingcreditforsuccesses
 showingfavoritism
 Reactingnegativelytocriticism
 Making assumptionswithoutfactchecking
 Notwillingornotable to change and adopt
 Notwillingtolearnandgrow
 Nottake nofor an answer
 Notlistening
 Notcaring about how theiractionsimpactothers
Bad Leadership
Bad leadership is characterized by attempting to control employees through orders, policies,
rules, goals, targets, reports, visions, bureaucracy, and changes all designed to almost force
employees to work and to create what management considers to be satisfactory products. In this

2. mode, management on its own decides what to do, when to do it, and how to do it and listens
only perfunctorily, if they listen at all, to what employees have to say.
What is bad leadership?
 Attempting to control employees through orders, policies, rules, goals, targets, reports,
visions and changes designed to force employees to work and create what management
believes to be satisfactory products.
 Not listening or only perfunctorily listening to complaints and suggestions.
 Trying to motivate employees.
 Exhibiting the Do as I say, not as I do mentality
 Providing inadequate support
 Withholding information
 Treating employees as if they don’t want to do a better job, don’t care about their work,
don’t want to accept responsibility, or don’t really want to work.
 Treating them as if they are lucky to have a job
 Being afraid to discipline and never disciplining
 Staying in your office
 Us versus them mentality—“Why aren’t they performing better?”— “What’s wrong with
that person? Why don’t they know their job? They should know their job.”
1. Too much love forself.A bad leaderputshimself above others.Inmattersinvolvingthe organization,
he wouldratherprotecthis ownintereststhatthatof the organization.
2. Poor communication.He assumesalotand expectsotherstoplaybyhisrules.Yet,he rarely
communicateshisexpectations,hisgoalsandthe thingsthathe wantsthe organizationtoworkon.Poor
communicationisthe cause of numerouspreventableconflicts.Thatiswhythisisa badtrait for a leader
to have.
3. UnwillingnesstoTake Risks.Whetherinabusinesssettingorina non-profitsituation,risksare
inevitable.A leaderwhodoesnotwantto take risksiseitherdeludedorlivinginanentirelyclosedshell!

3. 4. Indecisiveness.A badleaderwaversinhisdecisions.He decidesone thing,thenchange itagain.Then
change it againsoonafter that.People cangeteasilyconfusedbecauseof this indecisiveness.
5. LaissezFaire.Thisleadersimplyletsthingshappenastheyhappen.He doesnotwanttoparticipate in
constructingthe realitythatwouldleadtobenefitthe organization.
6. Poor Self Management.If youcannotmanage yourself,how doyouexpecttomanage a whole setof
people whoare workingondifferentissuesandtasksat the same time?Personal selfmanagementisa
necessityforanygoodleader.
7. PlayingFavorites.Everythinginanorganizationmustbe merit-based.Rewardsand evenpunishments
mustbe commensurate tooutputandperformance.If aleaderplaysfavorites,thenhe iscompromising
the long-termhealthof the organization.
8. Lack of Accountability.Whenaleaderjustwantstodothingshisown waywithoutregardof
accountability,youhave take note.Thisisthe beginningof alack of accountabilitywhichmightleadtoa
leadergoingastray.
9. Deceitful.If aleaderstartstellingstoriestoone personandthena differentversionof thatstoryto
anotherperson,thendeceithastakenholdof the leader.There isprobablysome kindof cover-upgoing
on.
10. Too passionate forpower,wealthandprestige.Leadersare entitledtowealth,powerandprestige.
But if he passionate onlyforthese things,thensomethinghasgone awry!He is no longerthinkingright
for hisoffice andforthe organization.
11. Lovesbigstrategiesbutnothoughtfor implementation.It'sgoodtodream.But yougotta wake up
to implementandchase afterthose dreams!
12. Too much focusedon rules.Noproblemonrulesbutthere are timesthattheyhave to be bentto
accommodate a biggergood.

4. 13. Rulingwithanironhand. There isno armedrebellioninthe workplace isn'tthere?Since there is
none,there isreallynoneedforrulingwithan ironhand!
14. Impulsiveness.A leadershouldthinkcarefullybefore embarkingonanyprojectandsay anythingat
all!
16. Complicatesconflictsinsteadof resolvingthem.A leadershouldlearnhow tomanage conflictsand
not inflame them.
17. Unwillingnesstolearn.Giventhe presentsituationof the global economyandhow the business
settingchangescontinuously,learningisimperative.
18. Reactingnegativelytocriticism.A leadershouldkeepanopeneartocriticism, whethergoodorbad.
It mightleadto somethinggoodif takeninthe rightway.
19. Approvesunethical business.Thisisasure-fire guarantee thatyourorganizationwill gothe wayof
Enron.Beware of leaderswhoapprove unethical business!