7 characteristics of bad leaders... and how to avoid them

You can have the best team, run the best workshops and create a kick-ass product, and it can all be tanked by bad leadership.

It’s impossible to over-exaggerate the harm that bad leadership can cause. Some of the most obvious outcomes - people quitting, projects tanking - seem bad enough. But there are more insidious ways that bad leadership traits can bring companies down from the inside, almost silently.

Even one bad leader is enough to create discontent and spoil the company culture. If it doesn’t result in people leaving outright, it can still dent morale and productivity, reduce longevity, crush creativity and stifle innovation. Other attributes of the business might be good enough that people stick around. But, as the problem grows, the only ones staying will be those that can stomach poor leadership or aren’t invested enough to notice or care. Does that sound like the sort of organisation you want to be involved with? Well don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Learn some of the most common traits of bad leaders and how to avoid them, so you can be the boss your team deserves!

Poor delegation

Bad leaders don’t delegate because they believe the old saying “If you want something done properly, do it yourself”. A good leader only hires people who can do their job better than they could do it themselves.

So instead of clinging onto control, trust your team and watch them spread their wings. If you’re successfully avoiding bad leadership characteristic #2, you’ll soon reap the rewards. And if you're not sure how to get started? Read this: How to delegate tasks to your team.

Doesn’t prioritise objectives

Your team or project objectives should be aligned with the company’s objectives - that’s what leaders do. They unite the rest of the team on the company’s mission. That means that the company’s priorities are your priorities, too!

Of course, which objectives you focus on will depend on your team’s specialty. But if you’re trying to be all things to all people, your team won’t benefit from your sense of direction; that’s bad leadership.?

Use tools like OKRs (or your chosen framework) to help you prioritise in the long run, and make sure you carry this process through to the smaller, everyday aspects of your job. (Tip: also make time for special projects so your team can learn and grow together.)

Closed mindedness

If you have a closed mind and/or indulge assumptions, you’re likely to lead your team down a path of mediocrity (at best) or total failure (at worst). Instead of thinking ‘That’s how we’ve always done things’ or ‘If it ain’t broke, why fix it?’, try ‘How can we test that?’.

Every time you change something for the better, that’s an incremental improvement that you would have missed out on if you remained inactive. Workshop Tactics has a great tactic called Assumption Map to help you ascertain the risk your assumptions pose, and how much evidence you have that they are accurate.

And remember: taking risks is scary, but not taking them is even scarier.

Sets a bad example

If you make the rules, it really hurts morale for you to be seen breaking them. And we’re not just talking about actual policies here. You’ll find that your own example could easily set the tone for the whole team, and if it’s at odds with what you say, you could end up with a mutiny on your hands.

For example:

• Say you care about people’s wellbeing and respect their work-life balance, then consistently work late and send emails to your team at the weekend.
• Insist on a strict file naming convention, but frequently send messages and docs without the proper titles.
• Demand regular meetings and prompt attendance, but often show up late or send apologies at the last minute.

Depending on the example you’re trying to set, the tools you need to employ will vary wildly. But the most important is your own integrity: make sure what you say and what you do match up.

Poor communication

Great leaders hire people who are far smarter or more specialised in their field than they are, and then listen to them. Bad leaders don’t listen and expect things to happen “Because I said so”.

Even if you didn’t choose your team, they almost certainly have their own individual knowledge and experience that is hugely valuable, and your communication skills can be vital in bringing those things out into the open.

If you want to avoid poor communication, you’ve already got the tools! Open your door, your ears and your inbox. Listen to people and really try to understand what they are telling you. Don't formulate your response until you've heard everything they have to say. And (again) – don't make assumptions. People are surprising.

Wants personal success

Leaders need people to lead - by definition. When your role is titled in reference to other people, it kinda means you can’t chase your own personal glory… well not alone. Instead, good leaders know that their own success is in the success of their teams and projects.

So, how do you ensure your team’s success? It’s not easy, but it is relatively simple. Support them. Get to know their strengths and motivations and help them use those things. Learn about their weaknesses, too, and plug those gaps. Communicate well, and let them do the same (see point five).

Doesn’t seek feedback or personal improvement

Leading is a skill set, and you can and should keep building on it. Not to seek feedback means you think you’ve got it down already. Don’t ask what you’re doing well: ask how you could do even better.

Ask people individually, and seek feedback through retrospectives. Take time to reflect on situations you think you could handle better in future. Work out where your actions align with the actions of people you admire, and where they differ. And if you want a handy toolbox of tactics to help you guide your team towards success, check out Team Tactics.