Leadership is not limited to impressive titles, strategic decisions or direction. In fact, leadership is a long and challenging journey that requires patience and care. This journey requires courage, responsibility and human depth. True leadership is not just about showing direction; it is about walking together, listening when necessary, understanding and making people feel. Most importantly, it means truly valuing people.
We all encounter different examples of leadership in our career journey. Sometimes we are fortunate to work with an inspiring leader; sometimes with managers who are disoriented and shirk responsibility… However, it should not be forgotten that bad leadership experiences also teach us important lessons. They teach us not only what we should do, but also what we should not do. Therefore, seeing the “bad” is an opportunity to recognize the “good”.
So what makes a leader “bad”? How do you become a bad leader?
First of all, the first characteristic we notice in a bad leader is a self-centered perspective. A leader who attributes success solely to himself or herself and shifts responsibility for failure to others cannot build trust. A person who makes his or her team invisible, who sees them only as a tool for his or her own success, undermines commitment, motivation and a sense of common purpose. Leadership is not the art of growing one’s own ego, but of making it possible to grow together.
On the other hand, the figure of a leader who is afraid of making mistakes and tries to appear perfect is another area of weakness. True leadership is knowing one’s shortcomings, facing one’s mistakes and coming out of this process stronger. A leader who recognizes his/her own limits and is open to criticism can empathize and create an environment of trust. Because it takes courage to reveal and transform mistakes, not to hide them. And this courage is the essence of leadership.
Poor leadership is not limited to individual shortcomings. Not being able to see the potential of team members and direct them in the right direction is also a leadership deficit. However, an effective leader recognizes the strengths of his team, brings them together in the right roles and walks step by step towards common success. Leadership that develops individuals, shares responsibility and enables growth together brings sustainable success.
In today’s world, a leader is not only expected to be strong, but also flexible, open to learning and sensitive to innovation. A leader who is open to learning and development in every environment, and who finds the ideas he or she encounters valuable, moves both himself or herself and his or her environment forward. True leadership is not the one who says “I have been there”, but the one who aspires to learn anew every day.
In conclusion, reflecting on bad leadership is a powerful start to building good leadership. Because leadership is not only about who you walk in front of, but what kind of mark you leave. And this mark is valuable to the extent that you can touch the human heart.
