There are a lot of books and articles written on good, effective leaders, but less attention is paid to poor leaders. So how do you know if you are a bad boss?

Think about a few of the following behaviours. If you exhibit even one or two of them regularly, you might not be the boss you think you are. If you recognise some of these behaviours in your boss, then that may start to explain why working life sometimes feels like hell!

  • Using punishment or threats to influence subordinates’ behaviour: this is quite simply an ineffective leadership tactic. It might stop unwanted activities but does nothing to encourage positive, productive behaviour. Using fear tactics such as job loss or demotion can seriously backfire, causing stress and reductions in performance. If this is your preferred style then it is time to think again.
  • Being self serving: Leaders can become seduced by the increase in power their position affords. They often pursue their own interests without considering their team. Taking undue credit, deflecting blame, delegating mundane tasks, ignoring subordinates’ workloads and priorities are all signs of self-serving leaders
  • Abdication of leadership responsibilities: These people basically don’t lead. They may look the part but they simply occupy the position and avoid making any serious and difficult decisions. A surprising number of individuals decide to opt for this ‘safe’ seat.
  • Creating inner circles: There is nothing wrong with favouring your best employees or top performers, but there is a delicate balance to be struck between creating healthy internal competition and choosing to reward individuals because of personal loyalty.
  • Narcissistic leaders: It’s all about them. They are the centre of everyone’s efforts. Criticism or disagreement is taken personally and not tolerated. Teams struggle to grow, motivation levels are low and fear creeps in.


There are other types of identified bad leaders, from the incompetent to the toxic. The reality is that these individuals do exist in many businesses and I am sure some of you will be able to identify a few in either yourself, or your colleagues. But the fundamental question is: just why do we tolerate them?

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