If you look at the iconic embodiment of being a bad boss — apoplectic outrages, taking credit for others’ accomplishments, ignoring others’ suggestions — and think you’re in solid standing because you are not guilty of any of those, you are letting yourself off too easy, say Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman, the CEO and president respectively of Zenger/Folkman, a leadership development consultancy.
Their research suggests that the offensive actions so often associated with being a bad boss make up less than 20 percent of the behavior that actually defines the worst bosses.
“When we analyzed the behavior of 30,000 managers, as seen through the eyes of some 300,000 of their peers, direct reports and bosses on 360-degree evaluations, we found that the sins of the bad boss are far more often those of omission, not commission,” Zenger and Folkman state in a blog post at Harvard Business Review (hbr.org).
Zenger and Folkman identified 10 fatal flaws that contribute to a leader’s failure. Here are the five most fatal flaws.
Failure to inspire, owing to a lack of energy and enthusiasm — Failed leaders were repeatedly described by
their colleagues as unenthusiastic and passive.
Acceptance of mediocre performance — The poorest leaders did not set stretch goals, inadvertently encouraging mediocre performance by letting people coast along doing less work.
A lack of clear vision and direction — Poor leaders have a murky view of the future, don’t know precisely what direction
to take, and are unwilling to communicate about the future.
An inability to collaborate and be a team player — Poor leaders avoid their peers, act independently and fail to develop positive relations with colleagues.
Failure to walk the talk — Saying one thing and doing another is the fastest way to lose the trust of all your colleagues.
