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ACCOUNTABLE LEADERSHIP HOW TO FIX THE SCOURGE OF BAD BOSSES, LOUSY LEADERS, TERRIBLE TEAMS, AND CRAPPY CULTURES Vince Molinaro Accountable Leadership Vince Molinaro 189.03

The first characteristic of mediocre leaders is that they tend to blame blame to tend first they The that is leaders characteristic mediocre of

Blame Others. or company. The negativity can influence others and become a habit that is hard to to hard is that a habit negativity The become and others can influence company. or others. If something goes wrong, they immediately point the finger at someone else. else. at someone finger the point immediately they wrong, goes Ifothers. something break. If you see this behavior occurring frequently in someone in a leadership role, role, a leadership in someone in frequently occurring behavior see this If you break. it’s a sure signthat they are unaccountable. They never personally acknowledge their role or contribution to any mistake or failure. failure. or mistake any to contribution or role their acknowledge personally never They a team to energy negative typically brings also behavior their of nature blaming The

leaders. looks like every single day. day. every single like looks the world, five characteristics emerged that describe what mediocre leadership leadership characteristics five mediocre what describe that world, the emerged

frustrations with mediocre mediocre with frustrations to organizations about their about organizations to THE FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF MEDIOCRE LEADERS

1. I spend a lot of time talking time of a lot I spend The topic comes up so frequently that I decided to conduct some research. conduct research. to some I decided that so frequently up comes topic The around people of interviews with thousands and surveys, groups focus Through Accountable Leadership Vince Molinaro 189.03

The third characteristic is that some mediocre leaders can be leaders characteristic mediocre some third The that is Mediocre leaders also tend to be profoundly selfish. selfish. Selfish profoundly be to tend and Self-Serving. also leaders Mediocre Uncivil and Mean. and Uncivil create tremendous personal stress for those they lead. lead. stress they personal those for tremendous create If your direct leader is like this, you must accept the fact that you will never grow grow never fact the must will accept you you this, that like is direct leader If your rude and disrespectful in how they relate to others. It’s a tell-tale sign of a lousy boss. a lousy of sign It’s others. a tell-tale to disrespectful relate and rude they how in ultimately, they only care about themselves. about care only they ultimately, and develop under their leadership. These leaders won’t invest in you because, because, you in invest won’t leaders These leadership. their under develop and insult others, usually in public. They are bullies. They’re dreadful to work for, and they they and for, work to dreadful They’re bullies. are They public. in usually others, insult the people it serves, or the employees they lead. It’s always about “ME, ME, ME!” ME!” “ME, ME, about It’s always lead. they it serves, people employees the the or Some described how those leaders don’t appear to care about the organization, organization, the about care to appear don’t leaders those how described Some You know these leaders—the ones who regularly and routinely mistreat, demean, and and mistreat, demean, routinely and regularly who ones leaders—the these know You They act out of self-interest. They bring a sense of entitlement to their roles. roles. their to entitlement of a sense act bring They They self-interest. out of

regularly and routinely mistreat, demean, demean, mistreat, routinely regularly and usually in public. others, insult and You know these leaders—the ones who who ones leaders—the these know You They are bullies. 2. 3. Accountable Leadership Vince Molinaro 189.03 Many mediocre leaders are seen as being inept and and inept being as seen are leaders mediocre Many Mediocre leaders are lazy and unwilling to work hard. They look look They hard. work to lazyLack unwilling are and of leaders Initiative. Mediocre Inept Incompetent. and ever able to get into a leadership role in the first place. It’s important to determine It’s important first the in determine to place. role a leadership into get to able ever decisions and leave a trail of disaster behind them. The worst ones are those who who those worst The are ones them. behind disaster of a trail leave and decisions step in. They wait for permission and always defer decisions to others or avoid avoid or others to decisions defer always and permission for wait They step in. someone is inept or incompetent as a leader, they know it, but their egos prevent prevent egos it,know but their they a leader, as incompetent or inept is someone making them entirely responsible. entirely them making under the radar, never to be seen or heard. When their teams need help, they don’t don’t they help, need teams their When heard. or seen be to never radar, the under are inept but think they are great. No one can understand how these people were were can people these understandone No how great. are they but think inept are incompetent. They don’t have the right instincts for leadership. They make bad bad make They instincts right the have leadership. for don’t They incompetent. them from being honest with themselves. So they do whatever they can to hang on on can hang to they whatever do they So honest with themselves. being from them anyone. for thing a good isn’t which roles, their to for the easy way out of any situation. They deflect responsibility, or they always play play always they or deflect They situation. responsibility, any out of way easy the for whether these individuals actually want to be in a leadership role. Typically, I find if I find Typically, role. a leadership in be to actually want individuals these whether

experience in working with mediocre leaders. At the same time, we need to be open to to open be to need we time, same the At leaders. with mediocre working in experience demonstrate many of the items on this list. That’s what makes them so ineffective. them list. makes this what That’s on items the of demonstrate many leader? a mediocre become you have or you Are leaders. self-critical as be ourselves of leaders and bad bosses make us feel. They demotivate, demoralize, and deflate our deflate our and demoralize, demotivate, They feel. us bosses make bad and leaders Do you demonstrate some of the five characteristics five the of demonstrate some you Do above? describe Every time I review this list, it makes me sick to my stomach. But that’s how mediocre mediocre how But that’s stomach. my to sick me list, this it makes Every I review time I am sure you have a recognition of and reaction to these characteristics, reaction these to and of have a recognition and have you sure I am meaningful ways to our organization. The really bad bosses and truly mediocre ones ones truly mediocre bosses and bad really The organization. our to ways meaningful ambitions. They stifle our motivation. They can eliminate any desire to contribute in in contribute to desire any can stifle eliminate They They motivation. ambitions. our 5. 4. Accountable Leadership Vince Molinaro 189.03 , I cite findings from my global research which reveals reveals which research global my from , I cite findings can account for up to 70 percent of the variance in employee engagement. engagement. employee in variance the of percent 70 to up for can account conducted a lot of research in this area. They find that organizations globally have have globally organizations that find They area. this in research of conducted a lot employees that mediocrity will be tolerated. mediocrity tolerated. be that will employees of the most popular that they had ever published, which is telling. is which published, ever had they that most the of popular book, The Leadership Contract how to help them or what to do with them.” When an organization is teeming with teeming is organization an When with do them.” to what or them help to how Now, if a leader demonstrates one or two or characteristics these demonstrates one of if time, leader a to time from Now, I was asked by a leading national newspaper to submit an article on mediocre leaders leaders article an mediocre on submit to newspaper national leading a by asked I was I’ve heard in conversations with clients, “we know who they are, we just don’t know know just don’t we are, they who know with “we clients, conversations in heard I’ve reaction to stress and a heavy workload. However, if a leader demonstrates most of if a leader However, stressreaction to a heavy workload. and quality leadership the of that find also They actively or disengaged. moderately mediocre leaders and does nothing to help them get better, it sends a message to a message to it sends better, get them help to nothing does and leaders mediocre a chronic problem with employee engagement. Up to 75% of employees are either either are employees of 75% to Up engagement. with employee problem a chronic as being mediocre and unaccountable. To make matters worse, 80% of organizations organizations matters 80% of worse, make To unaccountable. and mediocre being as often how tell I can’t leaders. mediocre those address to nothing do they that admit it needs to be addressed. The impact of doing nothing is considerable. is nothing impact The doing of addressed. be to itneeds that companies estimate that just about half—about 51 percent—of their leaders are seen seen are leaders their percent—of 51 just estimate half—about that about companies that that ran in their business section. The business section editor told me my article my one me section. section was told business business The editor their in ran that these characteristicsthese every full-on mediocrity—on day—I mean then basis, a consistent then it may not be considered a big deal. It could be temporary. It could also be a be also It could temporary. be It could deal. a big considered be not it may then with these types of leaders rather than with truly accountable and great leaders. In fact, In leaders. great and withwith types truly these accountable than rather leaders of So here’s the problem: we have a lot of mediocre leaders in our organizations. In my my In organizations. our in leaders mediocre of a lot have we problem: the here’s So There is a price to pay and it is in terms of low employee engagement. Gallup has has Gallup engagement. employee low of terms it in is and pay to a price is There The unfortunate reality for many people is that they can cite more examples of working working of examples can cite more they that is people many unfortunate realityThe for Accountable Leadership Vince Molinaro 189.03 - of their employees. employees. their of can also compensate for an ineffective leadership experience. It seems that mediocre mediocre that It seems ineffective an experience. for compensate can leadership also withmediocre a cope to able are they that shared Otherscollective have misery. could have one or two leaders at the top of the hierarchy who knew their industry their knew who well hierarchy the of top two at the or one leaders have could saw many of these mediocre managers. However, it didn’t seem to matter to seem because there it didn’t However, managers. mediocre these of many saw highest level. Mediocre leaders destroy engagement. They do not unleash the discretionary effort discretionary the unleash not do They destroy engagement. leaders Mediocre managers? When I have asked this question of others, the typical responses are that that typical the others, are of question responses this asked I have When managers? managers can bring a team closer together as they support one another through their their through support another they as one together closer team a can bring managers so inspiring. is organization their of culture and purpose because the manager needed to simply carry out the orders from above and do their jobs. I worked with and with and I worked jobs. their do and carry simply to above from needed orders out the reer, the model of leadership was very different. The world was a simpler place. You You place. very was a simpler was different. world The leadership of model the reer, a mediocre leader, to me it still means that people are not able to perform to able at their not are people that it me still to means leader, a mediocre is a very different proposition than it was a generation ago. When I first When started ago. a generation it was than ca a veryis my different proposition leaders and managers strategy the remaining the All success. create for could and their work is personally meaningful and that it overcompensates for a lousy boss. a lousy for it that overcompensates and meaningful personally is work their Others cite the positive relationships with their colleagues and team members, which which members, team and colleagues with their Others relationships cite positive the was leadership strength at the top. This model actually worked for a long time. time. a long for actually worked model This strength top. at the leadership was We must change this reality in our organizations and in ourselves. Being a leader today today a leader Being ourselves. in and organizations reality our in this must change We While a meaningful job, or a cohesive team or inspiring culture can compensate for for can compensate culture inspiring or team a cohesive or job, a meaningful While Another question I frequently ask myself is: Why do people put up with mediocre with mediocre put up people do Why is: myself ask I frequently question Another Accountable Leadership Vince Molinaro 189.03

of leadership is not effective not is world. leadership today’s of for previously. When you work with an accountable leader, you give them everything them give you you leader, accountable with an work you When previously. points, unsure of how to remain viable and drive sustainable growth. Yesterday’s model model growth. Yesterday’s sustainable drive and viable remain to how of points, unsure be truly accountable. have. You are fully engaged and committed. You want to emulate them and do what is is what do and them emulate to want committed. You and engaged fully are You have. It is time to stop settling and tolerating mediocrity from our leaders. We need leaders to to leaders need We mediocrity stop leaders. to settlingIt our time is tolerating from and required at every level of every organization. When you work with a leader who is truly is who with a leader work you When every of organization. at every level required necessary successful. be them help to upended our world as we know it. Many companies find themselves at criticalinflection themselves find companies it. know Many we as world our upended mediocre leaders and does nothing to nothing does and leaders mediocre to a message sends it better, get them help will mediocrity that tolerated. be employees When an organization is teeming with is teeming an organization When an accountable leader, your experience is completely different than what we described described we what different than completely is experience your leader, accountable an and ambiguous than perhaps any other time in our history. The global pandemic has has pandemic global The history. our in time other any perhaps than ambiguous and Strong and accountable leadership is more important now than ever before and it’s and before ever important than more is now leadership accountable and Strong Today, we live and work in a very different world—one that is more complex, uncertain, very a complex, in different work more world—one is and that live we Today, Accountable Leadership Vince Molinaro 189.03 - organizations have little tolerance for failure and people pay heavily for mistakes. for heavily pay people and failure little for have tolerance organizations emulate. Many say there aren’t great role models that they can look up to, admire, and even even and admire, to, up can look they that models role great aren’t there say Many Others say they are afraid of stepping up in case they fail. The challenge is that their their that is challenge The case fail. in they up stepping of afraid Others are they say Some say that their organizations haven’t made leadership expectations clear. leadership made haven’t organizations their that say Some commitment and much hard work. I find too many leaders underestimate what is re is what underestimate leaders many too I find work. hard much and commitment committed they to are nor themselves, on hard that work to prepared aren’t or quired price) as a result of not addressing mediocrity in our organizations and institutions. and mediocrity organizations our in addressing not of a result as price) heard: happen in many ways. We have tolerated bad and mediocre leadership for far too long. long. far too for leadership mediocre and bad tolerated have We ways. many in happen Before we continue, I have one more question for you to answer. In my experience, experience, my In answer. to you for question more one I have continue, we Before I have found that it is easy for people to talk about mediocre leaders and bad bosses bad and leaders mediocre about talk to people it for easy that is found I have reasons that keep them where they are. Here are some of the most frequent reasons I’ve I’ve reasons most the of frequent some are Here are. they where them keep that reasons in the mirror and admitting that, quite possibly, we may be mediocre leaders ourselves. ourselves. leaders mediocre be may we possibly, admitting that, quite and mirror the in aspiring to greatness as a leader. Senior leaders and organizations have enabled this to to this enabled have organizations and leaders Senior a leader. as greatness to aspiring ARE YOU A MEDIOCRE LEADER?ARE YOU when they are referring to others. I find that we are much more uncomfortable looking uncomfortable looking more much are we that I find others. to referring are they when When I talk to leaders who admit they have become mediocre, they cite some barriers or or barriers cite some they mediocre, become have they admit who leaders to I talk When Are you or have you become a mediocre leader? mediocre a become you have or you Are As we have already seen, we’ve also paid a high price (and will continue to pay a high a high pay to continue will (and price a high paid also we’ve seen, already As have we To be a great leader, a genuinely accountable one, doesn’t happen by accident. It takes It takes accident. by happen doesn’t one, accountable a genuinely leader, a great be To • • • Accountable Leadership Vince Molinaro 189.03 didn’t want it or didn’t feel ready. feel it didn’t or want didn’t colleagues in other departments or functions. leaders micromanage and control all decision-making. Finally, others cite little investment by the company in their development. They feel feel They development. their in cite company others little the by investment Finally, many peoplemany to lead. they were thrown into the deep end of a leadership role and had to figure things out things figure to had and role a leadership of end deep the into thrown were they Others talk about being overloaded with roles that have too many priorities and too too and priorities many too have that with roles overloaded Others being about talk Others complain that they are not empowered to be accountable, where senior senior where accountable, be to empowered not are they that Others complain for themselves. Some say they couldn’t say no to a leadership role; they had to accept it, even if they if they it, even accept to had they role; a leadership to no say couldn’t they say Some Some are worn down and give up after years of working at cross-purposes with at cross-purposes after working up of give years and down worn are Some To be a great leader, a genuinely accountable accountable a genuinely leader, a great be To takes It accident. by happen doesn’t one, work. hard much and commitment • • • • • Accountable Leadership Vince Molinaro 189.03 good or bad, leadership can be contagious. When you work with a lousy leader or or with leader a lousy work you When can contagious. be leadership bad, or good FORWARD personal ownership, and drive results. drive and ownership, personal structures drive good and well-meaning managers and leaders to become mediocre. mediocre. become to leaders and managers structures well-meaning and good drive leadership expectations, they must commit to address mediocre leadership and must and leadership mediocre address expectations, to must commit they leadership Mediocre ones create a negative ripple across an organization. This means, whether whether means, This organization. an across ripple a negative create ones Mediocre First at the individual level, leaders need to be honest with themselves to see whether see whether to honest be to with need themselves leaders level, First individual at the mediocre manager, you don’t feel like you are at your best. Your level of engagement engagement of level best. at your Your are you like feel don’t you manager, mediocre read this list and say, these are legitimate barriers that impede leadership accountability. accountability. leadership impede that barriers legitimate are these say, list and this read is weak, and you may, as a result, fail to set a positive example for others. for example set a positive to fail a result, as may, you and weak, is accountable in their roles. I have learned over my career that accountability is the the is accountability that career my over learned I have roles. their in accountable they have let themselves become mediocre. The must also commit to being truly being to commit must The also mediocre. become themselves let have they Great and accountable leaders create a positive ripple across an organization. organization. an across ripple a positive create leaders accountable and Great Can you relate to any of these points? Now, depending on your perspective, you may may perspective, you your on depending Now, points? these of any to relate Can you a list excuses. of it merely Others is say may Organizations must make leadership accountability a priority, They must create clear clear must create They a priority, accountability leadership must make Organizations ACCOUNTABILITY EATS MEDIOCRITY FOR BREAKFAST – THE WAY MEDIOCRITY EATS BREAKFASTACCOUNTABILITY FOR – THE WAY fastest, better get effective to a leader. as stronger way more and enduring and work to create a culture of accountability that inspires everyone to step up, demonstrate step to up, everyone inspires that accountability of a culture create to work Second, organizations need to appreciate how their systems, processes, and systems, and processes, their how appreciate to need organizations Second, As I write in my book Accountable Leaders, the way forward requires a dual response. response. a dual forward requires way the Leaders, Accountable book As my I write in Accountable Leadership Vince Molinaro 189.03 new heights.new organization? Mediocrity or accountability? You have a choice. What will it be? will What a choice. have Mediocrity You accountability? or organization? Remember, mediocrity breeds mediocrity. Lousy leaders or mediocre managers will will managers mediocre or leaders Lousy mediocrity mediocrity. breeds Remember, never hire the best talent. Their insecurity will prevent them from doing so. Alternatively, Alternatively, so. doing from them best the insecurity prevent Their talent. hire will never they may be incapable of even recognizing great talent when they see it. Also remember see it. they Also remember when talent great recognizing even of incapable be may they your effect. a ripple It has throughout contagious. is rippling is What leadership that Whatever your disposition, your Whatever tapping into those primal instincts can us take all to Info

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This document was created ABOUT THE AUTHOR on June 10, 2020 and is SHARE THIS based on the best information Vince Molinaro, PhD, is an entrepreneur, speaker, global available at that time. leadership adviser, and researcher on leadership accountabil- Pass along a copy of this manifesto The copyright of this work ity. The Founder and CEO of Leadership Contract Inc., Dr. to others. belongs to the author, Molinaro has helped create one of the leading brands in the who is solely responsible for human capital industry, working in several key sectors includ- the content. This work is ing financial services, healthcare, professional services, and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- energy and technology. He is the bestselling author of The SUBSCRIBE NonCommercial-NoDerivs Leadership Contract and The Leadership Contract Field Sign up for e-news License. To view a copy to learn when Guide. His work has been featured in many of the world’s of this license, visit Creative our latest manifestos leading business publications including The Harvard Business Commons. Cover image are available. Review, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and The World Economic from Adobe Stock. Forum.