6 Red Flags That Will Quickly Identify Someone With Bad Leadership Skills

Good leadership can add a lot to a team. Clear communication, support, and a positive attitude go a long way. Bad leadership, on the other hand, can put a huge hurdle in the way of a small or large group. It affects output, morale, and mood in a way that no one is happy to face. Good leaders encourage and motivate, bad ones do the opposite. They can also create confusion, frustration, and make you dread going to work.

Because work is probably crucial to your overall life, whatever the job, you don’t want to be impeded by a person with bad leadership skills trying to get you to make a mistake. Here are 6 red flags of bad leadership that might not be immediately identifiable – but when you spot them everything makes sense.

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Lack of Communication

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If your leader is not clear, you feel directionless. You might be doing a lot of work and not really be sure what it means. Confusion and chaos can happen if, as a team, you are not collectively working towards the same goals. When your leader communicates well, he or she keeps you up to date and lets you know what to do. Clear communication helps you work effectively. It also prevents miscommunication.

Micromanagement

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Micromanaging makes you feel that your leader doesn’t trust you. You’re being watched all the time – which is  stressful. It makes you feel like your skills aren’t appreciated. Sometimes, leaders worry that if they give their team freedom, everything will fall apart. But no! Leaders who trust you will probably get better results. If you’re working freely, you feel more confident and motivated.

Inability to Accept Criticism

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If your leader cannot accept feedback, it’s difficult for the team to provide it. You may have critical information to bring forward, but you stay silent, because you know your leader will respond poorly. Good leaders know how to take feedback and use it to make themselves better. When a leader considers your perspective, it helps the team become more powerful.

Lack of Vision or Direction

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When it comes to your work, a lack of direction results in a sense of confusion. If your leader doesn’t tell you where you’re going, most likely you won’t know why you do anything at all. A good leader gives directions and shows you the path.

Inconsistent Behavior

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Having a leader who goes through periods of bad behavior can make things even tougher. One day they might be nice, and the next day they could snap – you have no idea, and can’t tell. Things can be pretty unpredictable having a leader like this. If your leader is strong, they will be consistent. They won’t treat you one way and another person another way. You can put your trust in them, because they won’t always be making drastic changes.

Failure to Empower Others

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If your leader doesn’t let you pick up projects or make decisions, you are in trouble. A boss who wants to do everything stops the rest of the team from achieving much. Good leaders take their hands off the wheel. They give you a chance to rise to the occasion to show how good you and the rest of the team can be.