Spark Your Improvement as a Leader

It is easier to be a judge of others’ leadership than it is to lead. All of us have a critic that lives and thrives within us. Most of us never question that critic when the target of criticism is someone else and especially, when we are up close and personal with someone we view as a poor excuse for a manager or a lousy leader. This situation often intensifies when that someone is our boss or a leader in our midst. No question that a lack of management skills or inadequate leadership ability can create a ripple effect resulting in confusion, frustration, dissatisfaction, and even disaster. Perception can come crashing into reality when something similar to an Enron debacle surfaces.

Responsible, dynamic leadership calls for you to become a master at self-evaluation. Examine the common characteristics of great leaders and ask yourself, “where am I with that?”  Keep a watch out for people who exhibit great leadership and ask them about their journey. Look over the common characteristics of lousy leaders and find your own sparks for improvement.

Common Characteristics of Lousy Leaders

• Lack of character
• Issues with honesty, limited humility, questionable trustworthiness
• Rules oriented vs. people oriented
• Micro managing
• Disengaged from the team
• Undermining or allowing undermining to go on among the troops
• Defensive when challenged or offered feedback
• Attack mode when giving feedback
• Power smacking – in meetings or in groups dressing people down
• Seeking blame rather than resolution
• Ignoring poor behavior or lousy performance among leadership