How to Be a Terrible Leader (In Ten Easy Steps)

How to Be a Terrible Leader (In Ten Easy Steps)

I was watching the replay of a football game when the YouTube algorithm got me. A title popped up in the right margin of my feed: "Top 10 Worst Leaders of All Time."

I love leadership, so I was drawn to it like a moth to a porch light. Who made the list? Would it match mine? I almost clicked. Then I didn't. I didn't want to sit through the pain and loss those leaders inflicted on the people under them. I went back to the game.

But the question stuck with me. I realized I had never made a list of bad leadership qualities.

I have been blessed. For most of my life I have worked and served alongside some of the finest leaders I can imagine. They move people and organizations in ways that are exciting, humbling, and honestly mesmerizing to be part of every day. So instead of thinking about the worst leaders, I thought about the best ones. I picked a quality I love in each of them and then flipped it. What would its opposite look like?

It turned out to be one of the most revealing leadership exercises I've done. Here's what came out of it.

1. Show Up Late.
A leader who shows up late sends a clear message: my time matters more than yours. You can call it socially acceptable. I'll push back. Great leaders value the people in the room and honor their time. One of my mentors arrives five minutes early to every appointment we have. Every single time. If he can do it, so can I.

2. Ask for Something and Don't Use It.
Every request costs someone time, energy, and resources. When you ask for something and then set it aside, you disrespect all three, and you disrespect the person who gave them. If you ask for it, use it.

3. Never Learn Names.
I serve at a church with more than 14,000 people, so I know how hard names can be. But on your staff or your team, nobody wants to be "Hey, buddy," "What's up, man," or "Good to see you, sir." Those are fine once in a while. People want to be known and seen. Learning names isn't optional for a genuine leader.

4. Put Yourself First.
When you prioritize yourself over the team, you tell them you're more valuable than they are. Remember this: you wouldn't be a leader without them. Your job is to move them, not to have them move you. Lift them up, and they will lift you higher than you can imagine.

5. Be the Expert.
You may be the smartest, most gifted person in the room. That doesn't define your leadership, and it certainly doesn't qualify you to lead. Use what you know to draw out the best in others. Affirmation and correction land best when they come from a real desire to help people grow, not from a lecture on everything you already know.

6. Play the Trump Card Often.
Every leader holds a trump card, the "because I said so" call. It works because it's rare. Play it all the time and it loses its power. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Save it for the moment when everyone is stuck and only your call can move things forward.

7. Be Insecure.
Leadership means living in constant tension. It's challenging, sometimes lonely, and everyone has an opinion about how you're doing. You need to know who you are, whose you are, and what kind of leader you're called to be. Do the inside work so your identity is "rooted and built up in Him" (Colossians 2:7), grounded in something bigger than you.

8. Rules Are for Other People.
Over the years I've heard "there are always exceptions to the rules" far more than I'd like. Why would anyone follow a rule the leader won't follow? That's hypocrisy and entitlement. Lead by example. If it's your team and your rules, you live by them first.

9. Ask a Question but Don't Listen.
When you ask a question, honor the person by listening to the answer. Your team should know their voice carries weight and makes a difference. Yes, you make the final call. But they worked hard to give you what you needed. Listen. Acknowledge. Say thank you.

10. Take the Credit, Pass the Blame.
As the leader, you're the tip of the spear, and applause usually lands on you first. Pass it on. Give your team the credit they've earned. And when mistakes happen, cover your team and take the responsibility. Your success rests on a pyramid of their work that lets you stand where you stand.

Honestly, it was hard to write ten instructions for doing leadership wrong. That's not who I want to be. I want to make a positive impact on my team and on the people I serve. I know you do too.

Let's do it right. Let's go!