If leadership is reduced to its most basic elements, it can be described in just a few words – setting the necessary conditions for people to earn a living.
That’s why it’s important to watch out for these four red flags, which suggest that your managers, regardless of their level in the hierarchy, simply don’t follow this basic rule of leadership.
When people feel disrespected
In a 2020 survey conducted by ResumeLab on what makes a leader “bad”, as many as 72% of respondents said that their boss treats them rudely or disrespectfully. Nearly 70% of respondents said that their leader criticized them in front of their colleagues, and 83% of this group said that it made them feel bad. Perhaps the most shocking data from this survey is that as many as 42% of the bad leaders the respondents dealt with blamed others for their failures – something that 84% of employees consider unfair.
When bosses think they never make a mistake
Have you ever worked for a boss who is always right and you are always wrong? For a man who refuses to take responsibility and never admits that he was wrong? This is the type of manager who is more concerned with protecting his reputation than meeting the needs of the team. This type of behavior is also a huge red flag that you can’t ignore.
When bosses show up, they harass their subordinates
Research shows that one of the most common forms of incompetent and destructive leadership behavior is so-called “derailed leadership”. This term refers to the approach of leaders who harass, humiliate, manipulate and deceive their employees. They are also often unable to be found in the workplace, either because they restrict others’ access to their office or simply because they are missing.
When bosses attribute all the credit for their success
In a BambooHR survey, more than 1,000 US-based employees were asked to rate 24 “typical behaviors” demonstrated by bosses, from “perfectly acceptable” to “completely unacceptable.” What do they think is the worst leadership behavior? BambooHR data show that as many as 63% of respondents find it unacceptable when bosses take credit for team success. They also say it is something that would make them quit their jobs. Women are particularly sensitive to this type of behavior, with as many as 71% of respondents considering it the worst possible offense for a leader.
