ELVIS PRESLEY

A big part of the problem is that we really don’t know how to pick good leaders, due to psychological biases and trying to serve our own self-interests, rather than the greater good.

One obvious reason is fear. Tyrants are punitive and will subjugate anyone who ques...

2. We Equate Effectiveness with Being a Good Leader. 

We place great value on results, but often neglect to consider how those results were obtained (i.e., “the ends justify the means”). Truly good leaders are successful, but they are careful to do the (mor...

5. We Rationalize. 

All too often we give leaders “a pass” instead of holding them accountable. Or, we allow leaders to be above the rules (“he/she can do it because he/she is the leader”). Finally, we “settle” too easily. Instead of seeking out the very be...

3. We Crave Power. 

Leadership expert, Jean Lipman-Blumen, in her book on Toxic Leadership, suggests that followers enable and assist bad leaders – allowing them to get into positions of power, and supporting their misdeeds. All too often, follower...

4. We Don’t Hold Leaders Accountable. 

We often blindly place leaders on a pedestal and assume that they will do the right thing. We need to be active followers and hold leaders accountable. The title of Ira Chaleff’s book, “The Courageous Follower...

Good leaders:

1. Unify and Don’t Divide. Good leaders never create divisions in their constituents, creating a “we vs. they” effect. 
2. Achieve Results But Limit Collateral Damage. A good leader is effective, but never

Psychologist Robert Hogan estimates that the majority of workplace managers/leaders are either deficient or incompetent – one reason why executive turnover is so high. And, with a world full of dictators and despots, political leadership is also full of bad leaders

The antidote for bad leadership is courageous and engaged followers who serve as a check when the leader misbehaves or takes the wrong path. For this to happen, it is imperative that we foster an environment in which citizens feel they are empowered, and will be protected, if they stand u...