Examples of poor leadership

[Hecaviator]

I know this thread is supposed to be about "poor" leadership, but I have a story that I think represents leadership at its best. To me, it illustrates by comparison what poor leadership might do.

I worked for a chief executive when I was in my late 20's. It was my first real management-level position. I screwed up something that was critically important: a major program was at risk of going totally down the gurgler. The chief executive convened a management team meeting in his conference room. He was on the phone in his adjoining office as everyone arrived. The entire management team was there, and it was clear to me what they were thinking. The finance guy was trying to figure out how he was going to distance himself from the **** storm that everyone knew was about to occur. The deputy to the chief executive was pissed, and clearly pondering how he was going to string me up. Operations people in the meeting were just trying to find seats at the table as far as possible from me. Most of them were trying to figure out how they could avoid touching the mess I had created. I was just trying to figure where I was going to find my next job because I figured I was toast.

The chief executive walked into the conference room and looked around at everyone. I will never forget what he said. It has been the greatest influence on my career of anything that has transpired over the 50 years since. After looking at everyone for a few seconds to size up the room, he said "Boy. Did we f**k up! Well, how are we going to fix this?" We figured it out and we did manage to fix it. Within four years it became the model for such programs all over the world. It has been the foundation of my career. I have never forgotten how he handled it, and have simply tried to live up to it in my work. I would walk on hot coals for that man.

THAT IS LEADERSHIP.

 

[OGputtnfool]

I know this thread is supposed to be about "poor" leadership, but I have a story that I think represents leadership at its best. To me, it illustrates by comparison what poor leadership might do.

I worked for a chief executive when I was in my late 20's. It was my first real management-level position. I screwed up something that was critically important: a major program was at risk of going totally down the gurgler. The chief executive convened a management team meeting in his conference room. He was on the phone in his adjoining office as everyone arrived. The entire management team was there, and it was clear to me what they were thinking. The finance guy was trying to figure out how he was going to distance himself from the **** storm that everyone knew was about to occur. The deputy to the chief executive was pissed, and clearly pondering how he was going to string me up. Operations people in the meeting were just trying to find seats at the table as far as possible from me. Most of them were trying to figure out how they could avoid touching the mess I had created. I was just trying to figure where I was going to find my next job because I figured I was toast.

The chief executive walked into the conference room and looked around at everyone. I will never forget what he said. It has been the greatest influence on my career of anything that has transpired over the 50 years since. After looking at everyone for a few seconds to size up the room, he said "Boy. Did we **** up! Well, how are we going to fix this?" We figured it out and we did manage to fix it. Within four years it became the model for such programs all over the world. It has been the foundation of my career. I have never forgotten how he handled it, and have simply tried to live up to it in my work. I would walk on hot coals for that man.

THAT IS LEADERSHIP.

Excellent example and that's a great story. I started the thread for example of poor leadership because, in my experience, we see far more examples, unfortunately, of poor leadership than we do of great leadership like you described above. Maybe we just remember them more vividly since they're so egregious. I think we can learn much from the poor examples, dare I say more than the good examples.

Thank you for your addition.

 

[Smiter]

My boss encompasses some of the best qualities and some of the worst. He’s at VP level and when he’s in he’s the hardest worker here. So he definitely leads by example. He is genuinely committed to the company and his job. He cares about his people, maybe not so much his direct reports (me) but their direct reports.

On the flip side he has unreasonable expectations. Company standard can’t be x and he demands z. You cannot question any decision of his. The last time I asked him “why are we doing this?” he screamed and cussed in my face for 15 minutes. “Why??? Why???? Because I f’in said so!!!!!!” Repeated for 15 minutes. So I don’t question even when he makes a decision I know to be counter to profitability.

So on his good days he’s a good boss. On his bad days he’s horrible to work for. De Jackyl and Mr Hyde.

Overall I’d rather work for someone else but there could be worse.

 

[OGputtnfool]

My boss encompasses some of the best qualities and some of the worst. He’s at VP level and when he’s in he’s the hardest worker here. So he definitely leads by example. He is genuinely committed to the company and his job. He cares about his people, maybe not so much his direct reports (me) but their direct reports.

On the flip side he has unreasonable expectations. Company standard can’t be x and he demands z. You cannot question any decision of his. The last time I asked him “why are we doing this?” he screamed and cussed in my face for 15 minutes. “Why??? Why???? Because I f’in said so!!!!!!” Repeated for 15 minutes. So I don’t question even when he makes a decision I know to be counter to profitability.

So on his good days he’s a good boss. On his bad days he’s horrible to work for. De Jackyl and Mr Hyde.

Overall I’d rather work for someone else but there could be worse.

Sounds much like the military mentality. Dies he have a military background?

 

[Smiter]

You know exactly what I am talking about. So does most of the forum.

It's getting very, very old. Stop.

I must be missing something, but considering that I’ve spent 99% of my time here lately on the Covid Local impact thread (I FINALLY caught up, yay!) it’s entirely possible.

 

[Smiter]

Sounds much like the military mentality. Dies he have a military background?

Nope! And as a manager of a staff of appx 50 myself, he should know that I damn sure document every one of his fits. He started with the company in high school and has worked his way up.

 

[Smiter]

And congrats on the new job OG!

 

[RecGolfer]

I was a junior officer in the Navy many decades ago. My first CO was a sailor at heart who taught us as much as he could in the time we had at sea about shiphandling and sailing. My second CO was a pilot who had no idea what to do with a ship. More of an administrator than anything else. My third CO was a volcano who led by making everyone afraid to make mistake.

 

[OGputtnfool]

I was a junior officer in the Navy many decades ago. My first CO was a sailor at heart who taught us as much as he could in the time we had at sea about shiphandling and sailing. My second CO was a pilot who had no idea what to do with a ship. More of an administrator than anything else. My third CO was a volcano who led by making everyone afraid to make mistake.

Sounds like great variety.

 

[OGputtnfool]

My favorites were the ones who like to punish (or maybe just "retrain") based on accusations with no concern for the facts. The ones who already had their mind made up re: what happened and what they were going to do about it before they heard your side of the story. The ones who didn't even care enough to listen to your side of the story.

 

[Scorp]

I was a junior officer in the Navy many decades ago. My first CO was a sailor at heart who taught us as much as he could in the time we had at sea about shiphandling and sailing. My second CO was a pilot who had no idea what to do with a ship. More of an administrator than anything else. My third CO was a volcano who led by making everyone afraid to make mistake.

the 3rd is the best kind of leader to have. They instill discipline in their troops by teaching them to walk on eggshells and pay attention to detail so they don't make mistakes
Seriously, the 3rd type you describe should never be placed in leadership positions. Unless it's a police captain. Everyone knows police captains always explode when their officers or detectives screw up. It's in the movies. It must be true

 

[chile]

...Maybe we just remember them more vividly since they're so egregious. I think we can learn much from the poor examples, dare I say more than the good examples...

it’s easy to remember the bad...

 

[OGputtnfool]

it’s easy to remember the bad...

I think that's why I've always said we learn more from the bad than the good. I think we expect good leadership so when we see it, we don't think much of it.

 

[Scorp]

It's the good ones we need to remember though.

 

[OGputtnfool]

It's the good ones we need to remember though.

I think subconsciously we do. By steering away from the practices of the bad examples, we are actively striving to be more like the good examples.