7 Traits That Indicate You Might Not Be Leadership Material

Originally posted by Rosalinda Randall:
Are you ready to consistently set a good example? Can you be engaging, good-humored, tactful, available, considerate, courteous, honest, reliable, and understanding, every day, all day? 

Being an effective leader is a task not everyone can do. At least not without guidance from mentors, experience, desire to think of others first, and the will to absorb his or her staff’s positive and negative traits. Are you leadership material?

1. Unpredictable moods: 

If you have some sort of “mood/behavior disorder”, please seek medical assistance. You may not be leadership material if:

·        you give in to your moods. 

·       your mood creates doubt in your abilities and mistrust among your coworkers.

·       your moods suggest that your decisions will be biased.

2. Emotional breakdowns are the norm: 

Again, if you have a personal matter that is ongoing and continuously affects your ability to do your work, please seek assistance. You may not be leadership material if:

·       you are not “available” to others.

·       you show indifference or get out of doing your duties because you just “can’t handle it” right now.

·       you create doubt as to your ability to cope with situations, opportunities, and challenges. 

3. Personal woes are apparent to all: 

This is relative. For some, a personal woe is not being able to buy the car of their dreams; having to settle for only a semi-luxury car instead. For others, a personal woe is losing their home, forcing them to move in with their parents. It really comes down to how you handle the woe. You may not be leadership material if:

·       you send out daily email blasts and constant posts on social media about your woe.

·       you share your woe with everyone that walks by your cubicle or enters the lunchroom.

·       you interrupt others only to show that your woe is worse than their woe. 

4. Allows unnecessary interruptions:  

A day can be filled with interruptions. Are you able to control them and/or set boundaries? You may not be leadership material if:

·       you answer the phone or constantly glance away from whomever you are speaking with to check your flashing cell phone.

·       your dog distracts and interrupt you.

·       you disengage to yell out your lunch order as your coworker walks by?

5. Does not follow-through: 

Forgetting to reply to an email has happened to everyone. It’s how you remedy it that matters? You may not be leadership material if:

·       you make commitments and forget to show up or decide it’s not important to you.

·       you promise to gather information by the end of the day, and never do it.

·       you receive the information you requested and forget to acknowledge it.

6. Bad manners: 

People remember the seemingly insignificant words and small gestures. Words can change the entire delivery of a request or statement.

·       Do you use “please” when you ask for a favor, information, or make any request?

·       Do you say “thank you” after your favor or request has been satisfied?

·       Do you race to be first in line at the lunchroom buffet?

·       Do you arrive early to pick out the best donuts, but are the first to leave?

·       Do you openly point out your coworkers’ mistakes?

·       Do you gossip?

·       Do you avoid doing anything that isn’t in your job description? And if you do an extra task, you make sure everyone knows about it?

7. Same rules don’t apply to everyone: 

Being in a position of authority requires a professional attitude and a consistent manner when handling problems and people. You may not be leadership material if:

·       you overlook or ignore the rules with only particular staff members.

·       you don’t follow the same rules that you are imposing on others.

·       you blame others to avoid taking full responsibility.

·       you lie, omit, or exaggerate.

·       you walk around with an air of arrogance, just because you are in a position of authority.

WWALD? 

(What would a leader do if he/she is experiencing a crisis or personal woe?)

·       A leader would alert his/her immediate supervisor and the HR department; deciding not to burden his/her colleagues.

·       A leader would consider taking a few days off to handle the woe.

·       A leader would suck it up, put on a happy face, and exude a positive attitude.

·       A leader would gather their colleagues to fill them in; not necessarily sharing details, but enough to ease their mind.

·       A leader would privately seek assistance to help him/her resolve or manage their crisis or personal woe.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” –John Quincy Adams