Unmasking bad leadership

Over the past five years of working as a facilitator for development programmes in public sector leadership and management, I have engaged in many transformative discussions.

Traditionally, these conversations focus on the positive characteristics of a good leader.

When I chose to investigate the attributes of ineffective leadership in public service, what started as a simple detour soon became a deep dive into the murky world of undesirable leadership traits.

The feedback that emerged naturally during each session offered a wealth of insights into the challenges of leadership. The negative traits include poor communication, risk aversion, favouritism, failing to lead by example, gossipping, lack of integrity, excessive emotional responses and displaying selfishness.

Others such as not holding meetings, inconsistency, indecisiveness, lack of empathy, poor time management, failure to delegate, authoritarianism and a focus on operational rather than strategic issues were also highlighted.

Each of these traits adds to the intricate puzzle of leadership in the public sector.

An interesting point worth elaboration is managers’ selfishness, particularly inequitable distribution of travel allowances among their team.

Allowances remain a hot-button issue, particularly in the civil service, but they often breed resentment amongst subordinates.

Additional ill traits that surfaced intermittently included leaders who rarely smiled or greeted their team members and those who withheld information from subordinates and demonstrated abusive or insensitive behaviour to gender issues.

These observations were not common, but still represent the diverse expectations and experiences of the public sector workforce.

Some responses were amusing such as leaders who do not smile or share a cup of tea with juniors and those who neglect their appearance.

The light-hearted comments highlight the importance of personal interaction, approachability, and professional presentation in leadership.

Leaders in the public service need to ask themselves these questions: Do I effectively communicate my expectations and vision? Do I listen as much as I speak? Am I too averse to taking risks? Could this be limiting growth or innovation? Am I impartial in my interactions and decisions? Do I lead by example? Do my actions reflect the values and standards I want to see?

Other vital questions are: Am I thinking of the collective good, or am I making decisions for personal gains? Am I consistent in my actions, decisions, and expectations? Do I make timely and informed decisions, or could my indecisiveness be impacting the effectiveness of my team? Am I considerate of the feelings and needs of my subordinates?

Do I demonstrate understanding and compassion? Do I effectively manage my time, prioritize tasks, and respect the time of others? Do I appropriately delegate tasks and empower subordinates, or am I micromanaging? Am I dedicating enough time and effort to strategic planning and big-picture thinking, or am I involved in day-to-day operational issues? Do I present myself in a way that earns respect and sets a positive example for my team? Do I hold meetings?

By regularly pondering these questions, you can gain greater insight into your leadership style and its impact, identifying areas of strength as well as areas that might need improvement. Top of Form

My exploration into poor leadership traits has reinforced the importance of continuous learning and self-improvement for leaders in public institutions.

Malawi 2063 long-term vision emphasises the need for effective, accountable and equitable public service delivery. Capacity building for leaders is a crucial component in realising Malawi’s development objectives.

Leadership is not merely an inherent trait, but also a skillset that can be learned and improved. I strongly recommend that leaders should constantly seek professional development to bridge the gap in service delivery and foster a more positive and productive environment for everyone.