The 10 diseases of leadership

We recently visited the Centre for Army Leadership (CAL). The CAL is a British Army unit based at The Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst dedicated to championing leadership excellence. They are an exemplar of thorough research, testing hypotheses to inform principles and practice.  Lt Col Dean Canham, who heads the CAL, talked to us about the ten diseases of leadership, and these grow like weeds. Even the most talented and great leaders are susceptible and need to be alert to signs that these diseases are beginning to emerge, like weeds in a lawn. In the most recent edition of Business Brief, I think about how we all might experience these diseases, spot them and root them out. 

Here are the ten diseases, can you identify any in your own leadership?   

1. Lacks moral courage to do the right thing 

Most of us know deep down the right thing to do when faced with a difficult decision. Yet, it can be tempting to take the easier path, especially if we’re not that thoughtful. We might excuse a colleague for their bad behaviour in order to avoid conflict or add something to expenses that are technically allowed but not in the spirit of the guidelines. Or perhaps appoint someone to a role because they’re likeable even though a better candidate was available.  

Like weeds, these small compromises accumulate and often escalate into something more serious, with sometimes devastating consequences in a leader’s choices.  

2. Fails to recognise that challenge and opposition may be loyal

I once worked with a CEO who demanded loyalty from his people. Practically all our coaching conversations were dominated by his frustration that his immediate team were displaying disloyal behaviours. In fact, they were intensely loyal to the business and were simply testing and challenging ideas because they wanted the company to succeed. In what felt like a counterintuitive perspective to the CEO, a passive executive team would have been less, not more, loyal to the business.  

Demanding personal loyalty rather than a commitment to the cause or mission of the company is a signal of leadership sickness.  

3. Consents to a superior’s plan but evades implementation

In other words, saying ‘yes’ but meaning ‘no’.  It might feel just and correct to not implement an idea that we don’t agree with, but this needs to be debated and tested, not ignored in a passive-aggressive manner.  

4. Needlessly retains important information from the team

The old adage ‘information is power’ comes to play here and can easily become a disease. It can make us feel important to hold information, expecting people to come to us to find out. In reality, the better way is that shared information is power.  

5. Lacks flexibility

The ‘my way or no way’ approach to leadership can be effective in selected situations, but candidly these are rare. When this becomes the default style, others have no room to express their creative ideas and will disengage, retreat or leave to go and work with people who better respect their experiences.  

6. Equates the provision of quality advice only with rank or position

In other words, they will only listen to the boss and will dismiss ideas from more junior colleagues. One helpful tactic we keenly recommend to our clients is to draw ideas from new joiners early on in their appointment, regardless of position or experience. A fresh pair of eyes will see things that we have become too accustomed to. As well as potentially identifying business blind spots, it’s also incredibly empowering for new joiners to be invited to give their feedback to their leader or leadership team, assuming of course that they are listened to.  

7. Too busy with processes to recognise and exploit successes

Every organisation needs strong processes in order to achieve sustained success, but the role of the leader is to maintain a focus on future vision, company culture, and ambitious and stretching objectives. Process for process' sake will achieve very little.  

8. Insatiable need to achieve 100% perfection

High standards are important, but relentlessly expecting unrealistic outcomes will kill motivation and creativity.  

9. Micromanages

The leadership disease is believing and projecting that ‘I can do your job better than you’. It’s disempowering, conveys hubris and suffocating for anyone on the receiving end.  

10. Believe in their own hype

Good PR will present a company and even a leader in a positive light. Leaders often hear good news about themselves; they hold influence and power over careers, bonuses and opportunities. There is a place for self-confidence and leading from a secure place. But when a leader believes the curated and polished hype about them, they are in danger of rejecting critique, denying their problems and preserving their image rather than leading with integrity. 

If any of these resonate with you, what can you do to dig them out of your leadership? Get in contact with us to find out more.