It cannot get any more disillusioned when you find out your leaders are insecure. Leaders are there to provide vision, boost morale, remove obstacles and I believe most importantly, identify and groom talent.
How do leaders get to be insecure? Well to be fair, it applies to everyone including you and me, but we naturally hold higher standards for our bosses. We all just got to watch it and not fall into the same trap.
1. Lack of confidence. It happens to all of us. We know we aren’t good with everything and sometimes it’s simply because we are less than enthusiastic with certain parts of our work. We all know that if our hearts aren’t there, there is just no way we can deliver a satisfactory job. In addition, it just sounds like everyone else is so much smarter than us, and we seem to be the only ones who have no idea what everyone else is talking about.
The truth is, yes we are not good with everything and no one really is. There should however at least be a few things that you do well for others to remember you by. Capitalize on that, know what your weaknesses are and work on them. There is just nothing more attractive than people who are confident and positive. Needless to say, watch the line between confidence and cockiness. I have seen so many people on far ends of this spectrum and too few can balance it well.
2. Threat. Afraid of overshadowed by colleagues or subordinates? Think that they may get noticed more and take your position away? Same case with leaders. Insecure leaders get so paranoid about the possibilities and make every effort to control information, stir up arguments, micro-manage, set up bureaucracies to make sure they themselves are useful, rather than thinking for the company’s interest. Unfortunately they seldom know how naked they are. If I can see it, everyone else can too.
3. Inexperienced to lead. Leading talent is no easy matter. Every one of us are different entities and we are motivated by different means. Some want stability, some want power and some want money. Bad leaders do not take the time to get to know their team and lead by cookie-cutter techniques – yes, very old-school techniques. Some leaders do not pay attention even after you honestly share with them what you want. In my opinion, I know I will probably never be able to provide all that my staff wanted, but I would remember it by heart, check-in with them constantly, and explain to them what I can or cannot do, with a timeline whenever possible. Leading is very much a tailor-made approach, and I always believe staff responds to honesty and feeling recognized as a distinct individual instead of a generic “team member”.
4. Unable to scout talents. Admit it, we all get frustrated when we see bad sheep in the department. It’s bad enough that our leaders fail to notice it, but there is nothing worse or demoralizing than seeing the wrong people get rewarded, or good people go unappreciated. Leaders need to set good examples by recognizing and reinforcing talented individuals and behavior, so that whatever competition there is within the organization, it’s a healthy one. Good leaders attract good people, and I follow many good mentors because they are passionate, charismatic and down to earth. I believe with year 2011 just around the corner, retaining and attracting new talent is only getting more and more critical and challenging. But hey, that’s what we expect of good leaders!
I don’t need my leaders to have super powers. I am very realistic. I also don’t expect them to know more than me in everything, and that’s why I am hired to work for them and contribute what’s needed of me. I however want to see my leaders to be trusting, confident and have a stand. We may disagree on things but I want to be able to respect them, because it says something. If I have lost respect for my leaders because of one or more of the above reasons, I know it’s probably time to pull the plug. Yes dear, we as subordinates have choices as well.
Confessions of a Corporate Shopaholic 
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