Bad Leader?

What I do not see as often is information on what a bad leader looks like. So I thought I would make my own list. Here are the first five of my 10 warning signs (and brief descriptions) that you may NOT be a good leader. I will cover the next 5 in my next post. I have also included some references in Proverbs. Take a look and see if you have anything to worry about!

First 5 Warning Signs You Are Not A Good Leader

1. You do not look in the mirror regularly.

I am certainly not referring to vanity. Instead, I am suggesting that it is a sign you might be a bad leader if you do not take the opportunity to regularly get feedback on how you are doing. A good leader seeks honest feedback on his performance from his supervision, peers, and direct reports.

You are not a good leader if you assume all is good and ignore opportunities to hear constructive criticism. (Proverbs 13:10; 15:12)

2. You are the smartest one in your company.

A good leader certainly needs to be smart. It is a great advantage for a leader to be able to keep up with the intellectual demands of the job.

However, you are not a good leader if you think you must be the smartest one on your team or in your company. Only hiring those that you feel are not as smart as you are will only cause you to miss out on a wealth of ideas and synergy that could result from removing this limitation. (Proverbs 20:18)

3. You think you are the smartest one in your company.

This is a different problem than #2. This bad leader does not limit the intelligence of new team members, but instead is guilty of failing to recognize the potential inherent in his team members or employees. A good leader can often recognize potential in others, sometimes even when they themselves are unaware of it.

Whether you intend to or not, you are not a good leader if you are blind to the abilities and intelligence of your team. (Proverbs 11:14; 12:15)

4. You do not remember the last time you read a book.

I believe strongly in the saying that “Leaders are readers.” As technology changes at a more and more rapid pace, and culture along with it, a leader needs to keep pace with the change. Good leaders can learn new things from reading history, current biographies, and even fiction. Obviously, we have already mentioned the vast numbers of books and blogs specifically targeted at becoming a better leader.

On the other hand, you are a not a good leader if you leave the learning to others. While reading books is legitimately difficult for some, there are other options such as audio books, conferences, and webinars online. (Proverbs 15:14)

5. Your idea of communication is a strong email.

Whether it is spreading the team’s mission and vision or just taking advantage of a coaching moment, communication from a leader is critical. A good leader knows this and spends much if his time making sure his communication is getting through to his team.

You are not a good leader if you use email as your main form of communication. Even if your team is scattered all over the world, there are much better options than email to make sure body language and tone are correctly conveyed. (Proverbs 15:23; 16:15)

What do you think so far?

Do you see any similarities between this list and your leadership style?

Have you been under a leader who was guilty of any of these?

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Ruthless vs. Rigorous Employee Decisions

Assuming this is true, then it is clear that we must devote time to learning how to best handle these employee decisions. While we all agree that issues concerning people often account for the majority of the time and energy we spend in our jobs, many Christian business owners fail to spend much time thinking about their approach to this important subject.

As I have said before, I love to hear great quotes and can often have a hard time getting them out of my head. Last fall at Catalyst, Jim Collins had several meaningful quotes over the course of his presentation. Anyone who has read his books or heard him speak can likely attest to his ability to do this.

One of Collins’ quotes actually applies to employee decisions and can be supported with Scripture. Here it is…

There is a big difference between being rigorous and being ruthless in making and carrying out people decisions.

First, let’s look at the definitions of the two words.

Rigorous

:

extremely thorough, exhaustive or accurate

Ruthless: having or showing no pity or compassion for others

What Does Scripture Say?

While there are likely some business schools that teach the necessity of being ruthless, I think it is clear from the definition above that this is not a behavior that matches well with a Christian business – especially when applied to employee decisions. Just in case you are not certain, let’s look at some Scripture to back up that assertion.

Based on this Scripture, I think we can make a great argument for being rigorous.

The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor. – Proverbs 21:5

Finalize plans with counsel, and wage war with sound guidance.
–Proverbs 20:18

Differing weights and varying measures – both are detestable to the Lord.
–Proverbs 20:10

So what exactly do these two ideas look like in action?

The Ruthless Leader

A ruthless manager or leader can face tough employee decisions just like anyone else, but the way they may approach these decisions is what sets them apart. A ruthless leader looks only to the bottom line and sees nothing (or no one) else. Nothing gets in his way.

If someone makes a mistake, there is no second chance with the ruthless leader. If someone falls short once vs. performing to standard, he cuts them from the team without mercy. If an employee needs time off for emergency family issues, this ruthless leader refuses the request. When goals are not met, heads roll.

The Rigorous Manager

On the other hand, the rigorous manager is different. Though she may also face difficult employee decisions, her approach is easily recognized to be different. Her view of the circumstances is not limited to the bottom line, but includes other factors.

A rigorous manager sees that an employee’s mistake may indicate poor working conditions or fatigue due to unusually long hours. She recognizes that substandard performance may show the need for more thorough training or upgraded tools. She is willing to consider a family emergency as a legitimate exception to the rule. She also looks further than the simple missed goals to determine if she has the right people in place.

Don’t misunderstand. The rigorous manager is anything but a pushover! She still sets clear expectations and holds her people accountable to those standards. She expects her people to stretch themselves to meet their targets.

She does not tolerate patterns of variance from the standards. This manager can cut someone from the team just as quickly as the ruthless one, but she requires more information in order to make that decision.

Bible Calls For Excellence

Nowhere does the Bible tell us to be weak or spineless in our employee decisions. Instead, we are called to excellence and should not settle for less. The excuse that we should not push as hard for excellence because we are a Christian company is absolutely ridiculous!

Pushing for excellence does not require ruthless behavior. It does require rigorous behavior. Unfortunately, while this may not always be popular, it is part of pursuing excellence within our companies.

We are called to serve Jesus. He is the King of kings and is not satisfied with our second best. We need to maintain our eternal perspective and do everything in our power to represent Him with our best!

Do you see any ruthless behavior in your employee decisions?

What would your employees say?

What steps can you take to become more rigorous?

[Original post date July 1, 2012]

As Christian business owners and leaders, we are usually very involved in employee decisions on a consistent basis. In fact, that part of our job can absorb a majority of our time. Our ability to handle these employee decisions well can also be one of the biggest influences on the success of our company, as well as the ministry we desire.

Assuming this is true, then it is clear that we must devote time to learning how to best handle these employee decisions. While we all agree that issues concerning people often account for the majority of the time and energy we spend in our jobs, many Christian business owners fail to spend much time thinking about their approach to this important subject.

Ruthless vs. Rigorous

As I have said before, I love to hear great quotes and can often have a hard time getting them out of my head. Last fall at Catalyst, Jim Collins had several meaningful quotes over the course of his presentation. Anyone who has read his books or heard him speak can likely attest to his ability to do this.

One of Collins’ quotes actually applies to employee decisions and can be supported with Scripture. Here it is…

There is a big difference between being rigorous and being ruthless in making and carrying out people decisions.

First, let’s look at the definitions of the two words.

Rigorous: extremely thorough, exhaustive or accurate

Ruthless: having or showing no pity or compassion for others

What Does Scripture Say?

While there are likely some business schools that teach the necessity of being ruthless, I think it is clear from the definition above that this is not a behavior that matches well with a Christian business – especially when applied to employee decisions. Just in case you are not certain, let’s look at some Scripture to back up that assertion.

Read Matthew 18:21-35. This quote captures the essence of the parable:

Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?” And his master got angry and handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed.

On the other hand, I think we can make a great argument for being rigorous. Let’s take a look at some Scripture that can give us some clarity here.

The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor. – Proverbs 21:5

Finalize plans with counsel, and wage war with sound guidance.
–Proverbs 20:18

Differing weights and varying measures – both are detestable to the Lord.
–Proverbs 20:10

So what exactly do these two ideas look like in action?

The Ruthless Leader

A ruthless manager or leader can face tough employee decisions just like anyone else, but the way they may approach these decisions is what sets them apart. A ruthless leader looks only to the bottom line and sees nothing else. Nothing gets in his way.

If someone makes a mistake, there is no second chance with the ruthless leader. If someone is not performing to standard, he cuts them from the team without mercy. If an employee needs time off for emergency family issues, this ruthless leader refuses the request. When goals are not met, heads roll.

The Rigorous Manager

On the other hand, the rigorous manager is different. Though she may also face difficult employee decisions, her approach is easily recognized to be different. Her view of the circumstances is not limited to the bottom line, but includes other factors.

A rigorous manager sees that an employee’s mistake may indicate poor working conditions or fatigue due to unusually long hours. She recognizes that substandard performance may show the need for more thorough training or upgraded tools. She is willing to consider a family emergency as a legitimate exception to the rule. She also looks further than the simple missed goals to determine if she has the right people in place.

Don’t misunderstand. The rigorous manager is anything but a pushover! She still sets clear expectations and holds her people accountable to those standards. She expects her people to stretch themselves to meet their targets. She does not tolerate patterns of variance from the standards. This manager can cut someone from the team just as quickly as the ruthless one, but she requires more information in order to make that decision.

Bible Calls For Excellence

Nowhere does the Bible tell us to be weak and spineless in our employee decisions. Instead, we are called to excellence and should not settle for less. The excuse that we should not push as hard for excellence because we are a Christian company is absolutely ridiculous!

However, pushing for excellence does not require ruthless behavior. It does require rigorous behavior.

We are called to serve Jesus. He is the King of kings and is not satisfied with our second best. We need to maintain our eternal perspective and do everything in our power to represent Him with our best!

Do you see any ruthless behavior in your employee decisions?

What would your employees say?

What steps can you take to become more rigorous?