Everyone has different opinions when it comes to the topic of leadership. There are loads of books out there that talk about all the actions people can take to be good leaders; every expert seems to have their own theory on the topic. But what about bad leadership? Are there common mistakes that bad leaders make that negatively impact the growth of their organizations? We certainly know that there are frustrating things that bosses do.
Harvard Business Publishing sat down with a number of management thought leaders, from Google’s head of global leadership and development to Morgan Stanley’s executive director of leadership development and asked that very question: What is the biggest mistake a leader can make?
About 10 leaders weighed in and below were the themes in the experts’ responses.
A leader’s biggest mistake happens when he or she…
- puts his or her interests ahead of the organization’s best interests.
- breaks someone’s trust and doesn’t live up to his or her values.
- believes that he or she can do no wrong when it comes to decision making and idea creation.
- skips reflection and learning from past mistakes.
Check out the seven-minute video for the full responses. Do you think those interviewed are missing a major mistake? If so, what is it? Have you ever made a mistake as a leader and if so, how did you respond when you realized you made it?
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