Unhealthy Leadership Practices

A successful organization is the product of the collaborative efforts of all departments’ teams. Every function is related in some way within the several departments that generate the final result. The leaders bear the responsibility of keeping teams on track to complete tasks on time and in compliance with the standards. Leaders function as both mentors and employees to their teams and organizations. Although it is anticipated that they will always deliver great outcomes, it is natural for people to sometimes make mistakes. Hence, in this episode of the Coaching for Leaders podcast, Harvard Business School’s Bill George investigates the most common leadership practices that derail leaders and the antidote that saves them.

Bill contends that matters worsen not when leaders begin to adopt unhealthy leadership practices, but when they fail to recognize that they have not only accepted but also continue to employ them on a regular basis. Realizing such things about yourself is only feasible if you have someone who can give you an honest assessment of your personality or if you are a highly introspective person. Being an impostor is one of the archetypes explored in the podcast episode. According to Bill, an impostor is someone who determines who their competitors are and then removes them one by one. He claims that one of the major factors in spotting an impostor is that they frequently pretend to be someone else. According to Bill, the only cure for this is self-awareness. Record the least charitable interpretation of your behavior and the most difficult ethical quandary you are now experiencing. This assists you in determining how you commonly handle issues.

The loners are another archetype highlighted in the episode. This is one of those unhealthy leadership practices that cause leaders to believe they can succeed on their own, leading them to reject all feedback. Bill’s solution is to locate a mentor who can help you avoid making wrong judgments if you, as a loner, avoid discussing too much with your peers. Finally, rationalizers are included as the last archetypes in the episode. When things start to go wrong, these are the leaders who tend to blame external influences. Bill’s advised solution is to have clear values since they help a person see where they may be wrong and where they are right. There are certainly unhealthy leadership practices; however, none of them are insurmountable if attempts are taken. Peers must be confident in providing feedback, and leaders must be willing to take it. The above are some of the most prevalent archetypes that you may have unintentionally acquired, as well as some strategies for correcting them.