7 Ways Leaders Hinder or Destroy Teams and Organisations

Unfortunately this is a cross sector phenomena!  Whether it’s government, big corporations, local authority, large NGOs or your one-office voluntary sector organisation or teams of people working in the community, it can all go pear shaped because of the leadership. Take an honest look at yourself and your team and see if you recognise anything or anyone:

1. The Leader is not a team player – ultimately being in charge of the mission is more important than the mission itself! The leader creates a structure and culture which makes sure everyone knows they are in charge and you must defer to them.
2. The approach to leadership is very top down and change is resisted. Small change is permitted providing it does not stray too far from the Leader’s vision.
3. Attempts at consultation and listening are fake but are just enough to create the illusion that the team is being listened to.  The proof of being listened to is slow to materialise.  In meeting you are fed platitudes and praise to shut you down and it’s done skilfully with a smile on their face.
4. Innovation and major change is discreetly discouraged under the guise of ‘let’s try this way a little longer’ and then the suggestions made get quietly forgotten about over time.
5. They always make sure there is enough support from sycophants to back their ideas thus creating an illusion of a democratic process in decision making.
6. They create bureaucratic processes and protocols in order to maintain control, making sure they are driver behind all decisions and that the decisions in no way detracts from their way of doing things and if it does, the protocol will sure slow it down or eventually kill it unless someone is assertive enough to keep raising the matter.
7. They talk a good talk, are very persuasive and so ensure they are rarely challenged on the substance of what they say as they manipulate an emotional state, often with great charisma. Ultimately the mission is not flourishing because the talk is not bearing any fruit and everyone gets stuck in a rut, quite often without realising it – Why? Because critical analysis and constructive feedback is discouraged and seen as criticism so the culture of open honest talk is null and void in the environment.

Watch out for these signs and monitor the situation. Ultimately you have to decide what  you are going to do within this set up.  There are a number of options, like put up and shut up, leave, speak out once, speak out several times and risk becoming a target or something much more innovative.  What would you do? Or is this YOU??? Do you bear any responsibility?  Has this struck a chord???