Three Qualities that can Destroy a Leader

Just as there are positive qualities exhibited by great leaders such as, resiliency, humility and quiet confidence, there are also many negative qualities exhibited by leaders which ultimately could lead to their demise.?Throughout my career I have been fortunate to have worked for many leaders that have exhibited a multitude of positive qualities.?Unfortunately, like many of us, I have also worked for leaders that have exhibited negative qualities.?

If I were to isolate the three qualities that have the greatest negative impact on a leader, as well as the team they represent, it would come down to…

?·????????Arrogance

·????????Stubbornness

·????????Fear of Change

?Quite simply, arrogance can be defined as an attitude of superiority.?Consciously or unconsciously, an arrogant leader makes the rest of the team feel less important. ?A true leader cares about the development of their team. ?Making others feel less important does little to enhance their self confidence and desire to ask questions and learn.?A leader that displays arrogance day in and day out does very little to enhance the morale and self-worth of the individuals reporting to them.?This quality ultimately leads to high turnover within the team, high frustration within the team and less than satisfactory performance results.?Ultimately a leader that displays this quality will suffer failure or will constantly be seeking out new team members due to high turnover.?Clearly, this is not a formula for success.

?

Stubbornness can simply be defined as a person or leader who is determined to do whatever they want and refuses to consider anything else.?A true leader should consider the needs and wants of others while genuinely listening to the thoughts and opinions of the team.?When a leader is stubborn, once again, this will hinder the growth and performance of the team.?There are certainly times when a leader must make decisions that are unpopular, however, to believe one is right 100% of the time and refuse to listen to the opinions and thoughts of others, is not only foolish, it is also potentially very damaging to results and will ultimately serve to block creativity and, subsequently drain the energy of those on the team. ??

?

When a leader is fearful of change, this very often is because they are fearful that they might lose what’s associated with the change.?Embracing change means that a leader must take the time to understand “why” change is necessary and what is transpiring around them that necessitates the change.?This can very often be uncomfortable as it will challenge the comfort zone of the leader.?Embracing change doesn’t mean you are disrespecting past accomplishments.?It simply means you are embracing new techniques that are required to be successful today while respecting what worked yesterday.?Embracing change can promote creativity, expand skill sets and challenge one’s thought process.

?

I hope this leadership tip forces you to think about your own personal leadership style and further assists you as you navigate your career, taking on challenges and ultimately overcoming obstacles along your path to success.?

Be well.?-MC ??