Ten Fatal Flaws That Derail Leaders

Another one from the current issue of the Harvard Business Review. It’s a list along the lines of those things that Tom Peters and his ilk love to tout around the world. Take them for what they are but as you do so, consider whether they are valid, all valid, some valid …

Poor leadership in good times can be hidden, but poor leadership in bad times is a recipe for disaster … Every bad leader had at least one and most had several ... the ineffective leaders we studied were often unaware that they exhibited these behaviours … those who were rated most negatively rated themselves substantially more positively. Leaders should take a very hard look at themselves and ask for candid feedback on performance …

The Worst Leaders:

• Lack energy and enthusiasm. They see new initiatives as a burden, rarely volunteer, and fear being overwhelmed. One such leader was described as having the ability to “suck all the energy out of any room.”
• Accept their own mediocre performance. They overstate the difficulty of reaching targets so that they look good when they achieve them. They live by the mantra “Underpromise and overdeliver.”
• Lack clear vision and direction. They believe their only job is to execute. Like a hiker who sticks close to the trail, they’re fine until they come to a fork.
• Have poor judgment. They make decisions that colleagues and subordinates consider to be not in the organization’s best interests.
• Don’t collaborate. They avoid peers, act independently, and view other leaders as competitors. As a result, they are set adrift by the very people whose insights and support they need.
• Don’t walk the talk. They set standards of behaviour or expectations of performance and then violate them. They’re perceived as lacking integrity.
• Resist new ideas. They reject suggestions from subordinates and peers. Good ideas aren’t implemented, and the organization gets stuck.
• Don’t learn from mistakes. They may make no more mistakes than their peers, but they fail to use setbacks as opportunities for improvement, hiding their errors and brooding about them instead.
• Lack interpersonal skills. They make sins of both commission (they’re abrasive and bullying) and omission (they’re aloof, unavailable, and reluctant to praise).
• Fail to develop others. They focus on themselves to the exclusion of developing subordinates, causing individuals and teams to disengage.

Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman (2009) Ten Fatal Flaws That Derail Leaders Harvard business Review June page 18

Duncan Williamson