Poor Leadership is an Aberration, Not a Norm. What you can do to make your subordinate leaders even better.
Chris Kolenda
Strategic Leadership Consultant | Speaker & Author | Bridge the gap between your performance and potential and realize even more significant potential.
Do you have to put up with bad behavior from your subordinate leaders as the price of getting results??
It’s easier to rationalize poor leadership practices if you believe these are the norm. The good news is that most of the leaders in your organization seem to be doing a good job, which means you should lower your tolerance level for toxic behavior.
Bad leadership behaviors scream so loudly that it’s hard to hear reports about the good ones.?
Just recently, we’ve seen the shocking hypocrisy of Ivy League Presidents who could not bring themselves to condemn Hamas’ atrocities, even as they enforce ideological speech codes and use DEI administrators as thought police. Government officials have engaged in outright lies and manipulation during COVID, along with some high-profile do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do mandate flaunting. The rules are for the little people.
It’s no wonder that trust in officials is at an all-time low since Pew Research began its trust in government survey in 1958. Back then, over 70 percent of Americans trusted the government. Only 25% of Democrats and 8% of Republicans today say they do. Trust in the military is at a historical low.
The news gets better as you come closer to home.
A recent Pew Research survey suggests that most American employees highly regard their supervisors, with 55% reporting their boss as Very Good or Excellent and 26% selecting Good.?
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Fifty-eight percent or more of respondents said that their bosses were confident, capable, fair, and caring. Only twelve or thirteen percent characterized their supervisors as arrogant, dismissive, unpredictable, or aggressive.
This chart helps you determine what your subordinate leaders need.
In short, a small percentage of leaders engage in toxic behaviors and drag your business down. Most are leading well. Here’s how to handle each type.
If you are ready to help the excellent leaders in your company upgrade their skills, let’s discuss my two trademarked programs, Becoming a WHY Leader? and Building an Inspiring Culture? , or an off-site experience at a spectacular national park or historical venue.?
Let's discuss the opportunities, schedule a cal by sending me a DM.
Consultant, Writer, Retired United States Government, Retired U.S. Army
8 个月Loved this article. Too many 'managers' (different from leaders) are promoted to their position based on individual performance. That doesn't mean they are ready or prepared to lead. Sadly, far too often, by they time they are trained to be leaders, they've already picked up bad leadership habits. Skills are critical, but they can be developed. Culture is everything.
Cyber Operations Manager | Army Veteran
8 个月Great article, I especially like the visual aid that gives leaders a simple pathway to understanding which decisions to prioritize. During my observations, I've found that business leaders over-prioritize technical capability compared to culture fit without realizing the significant negative downstream effects that retaining a toxic person has on the organization as a whole. While the person's technical capability might be astounding for short-term business gains, their toxicity is akin to releasing carbon monoxide in your organization. You can't detect it, but unless it's cut off it will continue to build until it kills everyone it comes into contact with. I would love nothing more than to help business leaders understand that the things you don't do are sometimes more powerful than anything you actually do.
Strategic Leadership Consultant | Speaker & Author | Bridge the gap between your performance and potential and realize even more significant potential.
8 个月Valuing results-only is a devil's bargain that leaves you worse off. The good news: while rotten behavior stands out, it's far rarer than good behavior in leaders. You don't have to tolerate toxic behavior. There are plenty of good leaders to take their place.