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Ineffective Leader

Everyone has had a leader that they thought was ineffective, but do they know what makes a leader effective?   There are many qualities that go into making a good leader, and not all leaders will have every trait.   There is no one right way to lead.   There are many effective styles of leading, but there is a wrong way to lead.   By using an example of a bad leader, the traits of an good leader will emerge.
Leadership is much more than individuals and their decisions and acts.   Leadership as a quality may be more innate than acquired, but some qualities and characteristics can be identified and consciously brought to bear in difficult and complex situations.
I worked with a manager that was great at the operational side of the business but he was not an effective leader. He felt that everyone should be treated the same and expected the same productivity and accuracy out of each employee. The drive that he placed on meeting the operational objectives with disregard for the human culture only backfired. Instead of getting better results they worsened. Morale became an issue, as well as, absences, stress related illnesses and conflicts between co-workers. I believe these were all a result from the manager’s ineffective leadership skills.
When looking at leaders it is important to remember that they come from different backgrounds.   Some leaders have authority based on their expertise, which is a function of their skills, knowledge and ability. Leaders with high levels of competence are valuable to their company, particularly if they share their knowledge and skills with others. They are very knowledgeable about their work unit, technical processes or organizational goals and objectives. They are usually labeled technical experts and may have such credentials as advanced degrees or professional certifications. They have a consistent pattern of knowing what to do at a given time. As a result, they exert much influence over others. Some of these leaders bring this...