Top 10 Ways Not to Lead
Posted on Mon, Jan 14, 2013
Today we have a guest blog from Lauren Owen:
I like to read and occasionally write Top 10 Lists. These lists typically take a positive approach and list the Ten Best of “XYZ”. This month I’d like to present my own lighthearted take on leadership improvement, specifically the Top 10 Ways Not to Lead. (I also want to thank my wonderful clients, who are genuinely dedicated to improving their own leadership abilities and are continually setting examples of good leadership.)
My Top 10 Ways Not to Lead
Tip #1
Don’t ever ask the people you work with what they really think of you as a leader. You’d never learn anything useful and chances are they’d only say bad things about you out of spite. Besides, then you might feel like you had to do something to change. Too scary! Best to leave things a mystery.
Tip #2
Always try to be the smartest guy (or gal) in the room. After all, you didn’t get where you are by hiding your light under a bush, so why should you now that you’re the boss? Chances are your ideas are a lot better than anyone else’s anyway and you’ll just save a lot of time spent listening to others drone on and on about their ideas. B-O-R-I-N-G!
Tip #3
Be sure to always think out loud and never clarify whether you’re serious about whatever it is you’re talking about in meetings. That way, after you leave the room your people will scramble and spend a lot of time implementing something you were just musing about and didn’t really want to see happen. Imagine the look on their faces when you set them straight weeks or even months later!
Tip #4
Always have about 10 million balls in the air. Set impossible deadlines. Go off on tangents that have nothing to do with company missions or strategic plans. Life for you and your employees will be so much more exciting when everyone’s hair is continually on fire. Added benefit, you train them in crisis management. While you’re at it, why not create one or two crises a day just to “test things out”?
Tip #5
While we’re on that topic --Company mission? Written plan? Are you kidding? Life’s too short to tie yourself down like that. Besides, you’re a big thinker! You need to go where the spirit takes you on any particular day. This approach works particularly well in an economic downturn.
Tip #6
Don’t hold anyone accountable. Ever. First of all, it will make it harder for anyone to hold you accountable. Plus, it’s too hard to keep track of everyone’s commitments. That way you won’t have to have those tough conversations with your under performers. Your top performers won’t much like this, but they’ll eventually see the light and perform down to everyone else’s level, or just leave, saving you valuable salary dollars. After all, it’s so easy to find those top performers these days. It’s not like anyone else is looking to hire them.
Tip #7
Don’t ever hire anyone smarter than you. Why would you want to have a lot of high maintenance smarty pants who are always showing you up in meetings and plugging holes in your great ideas? (refer back to Tips #1 and #6)
Tip #8
Remember, your projects are always top priority. Commandeer all the available resources and people to ensure your stuff gets done right and on time. If your project wasn’t the most important thing in the world, why would you be leading it anyway? Also, best to wait for the last minute to get something done. No sense wasting valuable time planning, preparing, or prioritizing.
Tip #9
Never give people honest feedback. Keep ‘em guessing. You don’t want your over-achievers getting a big head with praise (they might just think they have some value to the organization). And you don’t want to insult or upset your underperformers as it tends to make for uncomfortable meetings. If you have negative feedback, best to wait for those annual reviews when you can really surprise people and put them on the defensive. Or, even more fun, do so in public when they can serve as a lesson to others and be less inclined to fight back.
Tip #10
Don’t ever have an organization chart or job descriptions. Keep everyone flexible and those job duties undefined. You don’t want to put people into one box, including yourself.
Bonus Tips:
Make sure the organization cannot run without you. Don’t spend any time hiring, developing and training quality people. Don’t delegate anything to anybody, ever. Or if you do, take it back and do it over your way. That way, if something happens to you, mass confusion will ensue and everyone will forced to realize what an asset you were to the organization and feel bad about all the complaining they did behind your back.
Note: If you choose to ignore the above helpful tips and, like our great clients, truly want to improve your leadership abilities, we would be happy to talk to about our proven (and 100% guaranteed) coaching process and/or CEO peer group:).
Lauren Owen, Redpoint Succession and Leadership Coaching
Lauren works with businesses leaders who want to develop and execute succession plans, sharpen their business practices, strengthen their leadership, and create long-lasting value in their businesses. She is a certified Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Leadership Coach. She is also a leader of the South Puget Sound Excell Group.
(206) 427-2856, (253) 245.3518
[email protected]
www.redpointcoaching.com