Can You Define Bad Leadership?

In the search to define leadership it seems that everyone can define what a poor leader looks like.  They are called tyrants, micromanagers, egomaniacs, manipulative, and self-interested jerks.  You and I can agree that when we see a bad leader we know it.  We try as hard as heck to get away from them.  The reality though is that what you and I may see as a bad/horrible leader is the ideal to aspire to for someone else.  Scary as it may sound… it is true.

Let me throw a name out there:  William Jefferson Clinton.  Depending on where you lean politically will determine how you feel about his leadership.  The same would be true if I give you the names Margaret Thatcher, Richard Nixon, and Jimmy Carter.  One thing that you cannot deny is that they were all leaders.

Think about why you like them as a leader.  Are they great at execution?  Are they great at inspiring others?

In your quest to become a leader you have an ideal in your mind of what makes a great leader.  Perhaps some of the names above are those you use as a reference, perhaps not.  Yet, when someone quizzes you about leadership there is an ideal that you see in your mind.  The question you have to answer is: Who is it?

Think about the person you have in your mind.  Think about why you like them as a leader.  Are they great at execution?  Are they great at inspiring others?  Do they make you feel empowered to achieve anything?  Do they spark an inner fire that burns intensely for success?  What is it that they do for you?

Once you have all of those positive traits in your mind think about how they can be construed in a negative light.  That sounds a bit odd for a request, but there is a method to the madness.  What you aspire to, what moves you, and what gives you the goose bumps when you think about this ideal leader can be considered wrong by someone else.  For example, if organizational skills and the ability to think creatively out of the box to solve huge problems were something that appeals to you in a leader, then would you be willing to follow Napoleon?  If you like the charismatic inspiration that a great orator can bring to you and the ability of this leader to inspire a purpose in you, then are you willing to follow Julius Caesar?  If you rally to overcoming huge odds and respect the authority that a disciplined leader brings, then are you willing to follow George S. Patton?

They are called tyrants, micromanagers, egomaniacs, manipulative, and self-interested jerks.

The purpose of this piece is not to equate a moral relativism to leadership.  While many skills can be used for both good and evil, there are simply some leaders that are pure evil.

The point being is that these leaders could be described as tyrants, manipulative, micromanagers, egomaniacs, and self-interested jerks.  If you are going to be a leader you will encompass some of these bad traits to those that do not agree with you or refuse to be led by you.

If you are worried about how others are going to think about you… then you should not step into the leadership position that might become available.  You will fail to be decisive.

You will fail to have a vision and articulate it.  You will fail to inspire because you will not believe in the cause.  You will be the worse form of leader… the panderer.

So look back at all the names of leaders mentioned in this article and add the ones you have in your mind.  Think long and hard about what they all have in common, both positive and negative.  Then ask yourself this one question:  Am I willing to be judged as they are?

Your answer will determine if you are ready to become a leader.

About the author:

Erroin A. Martin is a Business Advocate with the Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC, a business coaching and consultancy provider for business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs. He has fifteen years experience working within the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, natural resources, medical devices, software, technology, business services, and agriculture industries in various levels of leadership across six continents. He has led diverse teams in sales, marketing, planning, and in the Army.  He currently coaches business leaders and physicians in the tools needed, like social media, to plan for their success. Learn more about the Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC at www.vongehrconsulting.com or call +1 203 433 8079.  You can follow him on Twitter at @Erroin

The Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC, was founded by Erroin A. Martin to provide business coaching, business consulting, and other services to companies both large and small.  The primary goal is to have his clients be passionate about their business and reach the unachievable.