Almost all of us will, at some point, have had to work underneath a lousy employer, boss, or manager. Almost everyone has an experience of feeling completely at the whim of an incompetent despot, and as such, we all know just how damaging the influence of one of these people can be.
But rather than reliving bad memories, let’s try and use these experiences for positive gain. Specifically, let’s ask ourselves what made them bad leaders. What can we learn from these managers and CEOs?

Office Politics

One of the worst feelings, when things aren’t going well in an office is the feeling of being embroiled in office politics. This means people are talking about one another, subtly undermining each other and generally creating an ominous atmosphere. Very often, it’s hard to put your finger on what is wrong precisely – there’s just a general air of discomfort.
In a lot of cases, this stems from poor management. Sometimes, it results from a manager being too petty and trying too hard to be ‘liked.’ In other cases, it is simply a failure to solve the problem by separating people creating an ominous atmosphere.

Micromanagement

No one likes micromanaging; this often creates many more problems than it solves. This makes people feel like they’re being watched and removes the freedom and flexibility to do things their way when necessary.

Lack of Direction

Worse is a leader who shows no direction whatsoever. This person might be afraid to take responsibility for things that could go wrong or lack the understanding necessary to make intelligent decisions for the team. Either way, they shouldn’t be leading!

Emotion

Of course, a leader still has emotions, but they need to have this under wraps. Being a good leader means being a barometer for the rest of the office and helping others to feel calm and in control. If your leader is constantly yelling at people and visibly nervous, this won’t create a positive atmosphere.

Disinterest

Perhaps the biggest crime of all, though, is complete disinterest. If your leader is not passionate about what they’re doing and resents being in the office, this will negatively impact the whole team’s feelings.

Just as passion is contagious, so is a lack thereof!