Recognizing Ineffective Leadership Traits

When you hear the word “leader”, certain expectations come to mind. We look to our leaders for guidance and inspiration, which means they wield a great deal of influence. However, since not every leader is an effective leader and how do you spot ineffective leadership? And even if you’ve seen it, you may not immediately recognize what those traits are. 

The first trait to look out for is a sense of entitlement. Anyone who believes they’re in charge and they deserve to be in charge simply because of the position they’re in is not exhibiting effective leadership. This is that feeling of “you have to listen to me because I’m in charge”. The world doesn’t really work that way, nor does leadership. 

Individuals with poor communication skills are also bound to be ineffective leaders, given that leadership heavily relies on the ability to communicate well with others. Leaders who give orders without explanation expect everybody to be on the same wavelength as them. They often have no time to listen to suggestions, leading to one-sided decision making. As this goes on, it undermines morale because people don’t believe their contributions are making any difference. 

Leaders who lack the emotional intelligence to connect with others on a human level are often unable to get the best out of struggling employees. They fail to realize that the productivity of people is tied to their general well-being, how they feel, and their mental state. Leaders who cannot empathize are going to have trouble leading effectively or sustainably, especially in a crisis situation. 

Effective leaders shoulder the responsibility of the consequences of their decisions. Ineffective leaders would rather deflect blame onto others. They go missing when the boat is rocking but want to bask in the spotlight when it’s smooth sailing. In the same way, poor leaders lack the ability to resolve conflict quietly and expeditiously within the organization. Unresolved conflict between employees can often fester and spread rot to the entire group.

Life is not constant and change is inevitable. Effective leaders adapt, and they do so quickly. Poor leaders are not receptive to change. Adaptability is a fundamental leadership skill that cannot be overlooked. Risk averse leaders often shun innovation or any form of evolution simply because they are not comfortable with it. What this means in the long run is that they will always be one or two steps behind the competition.

Leaders who exhibit inconsistent behavior cause unrest among team members. Leaders are expected to be reliable and consistent. If no one can determine where they stand, their authority and judgement will be questioned and they will lose the confidence of their followers. It’s not about going with the flow, but more an issue of following your morals consistently instead of changing your mind all the time. 

At times, it's easier to model our leadership style around the leader that we don’t want to be based on our prior experiences and examples. And although some styles or traits may seem to be the most effective on paper, how we adopt and reframe them in our context has a tremendous difference.