WAYS TO RECOGNISE BAD LEADERS!

1. Leaders who can't see it, probably won't find it: Leaders without vision will fail. Leaders who lack vision cannot inspire teams, motivate performance, or create sustainable value. Poor vision, tunnel vision, vision that is fickle, or a non-existent vision will cause leaders to fail. A leader’s job is to align the organisation around a clear and achievable vision. This cannot occur when the blind lead the blind.

2. Put-up or shut-up: Nothing smacks of poor leadership like a lack of performance. Nobody is perfect, but leaders who consistently fail are not leaders, no matter how much you wish they were. While past performance is not always a certain indicator of future events, a long-term track record of success should not be taken lightly. Someone who has consistently experienced success in leadership roles has a much better chance of success than someone who has not. It’s important to remember unproven leaders come with a high risk premium. Smart companies recognise potential, but they reward performance.

3. When there's a let-down to communicate: When leaders are constantly flummoxed by those who don't seem to get it, there exists both a leadership and communications problem. Show me a leader with poor communication skills and I’ll show you someone who will be short-lived in their position. Great leaders can communicate effectively across mediums, constituencies, and environments. They are active listeners, fluid thinkers, and know when to dial it up, down, or off.

4. Not paying attention to the consumer: Leaders not attuned to the needs of the market will fail. As the old saying goes, if you’re not taking care of your customers, someone else will be more than happy to. Successful leaders focus on the consumer experience, which in turn leads to satisfaction and loyalty. The best leaders find ways to consistently engage the consumer and incorporate them into their innovation and planning initiatives. If you ignore, mistreat, or otherwise don’t value your customer base, your days as a leader are most certainly numbered.

5. Get Invested: Leaders not fully committed to investing in those they lead will fail. The best leaders support their team, build into their team, mentor and coach their team, and they truly care for their team. A leader not fully invested in their team won’t have a team at least not an effective one. Never forget the old saying, people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care - words to live by for leaders.

6. Be cautious the know-it-all: The best leaders are acutely aware of how much they don't know. They have no need to be the smartest person in the room but have the unyielding desire to learn from others. It is often said that, leaders who are not growing cannot lead a growing enterprise. One of the trademarks of great leaders is their voracious inquisitiveness. If a leader isn't extremely inquisitive about every aspect of their organisation, trust me when it is said there are huge problems on the prospect.

7. Show some self-confidence: Leadership absent courage is a travesty. I'm not referring to arrogance or bravado, but real courage. It takes courage to break from the norm, challenge the status quo, seek new opportunities, cut your losses, make the tough decision, listen rather than speak, admit your faults, forgive the faults of others, not allow failure to diminish your spirit, stand for those not capable of standing for themselves, and to remain true to your core values. You can do none of these things without courage. Courage is having the strength of principle to do the right thing when it would just be easier to do things right.

8. Lack of concentration: Leadership is less about balance and more about priority. The best leaders are callous in their pursuit of emphasis. Those leaders who lack the concentration and attention to detail needed to apply leverage and resources in an aggressive and dedicated fashion will succumb. Leaders who are not intentional and are not absorbed, will fail themselves and their team. Leaders who lack discipline will prototypical the wrong behaviours and will unavoidably spread themselves too thin. Organisations are at the greatest risk when leaders lose their concentration. Intentions must be associated with results for leaders to be active.

9. The "A" word: Real leaders are accountable. They don’t blame others, don’t claim credit for the success of their team, but always accept responsibility for failures that occur on their watch. Most of all, leaders are accountable to their team. I’ve always said that leaders not accountable to their people will eventually be held accountable by their people.