The Warning Signs • An overt zeal for prestige, power and wealth. A manager's tendency to put his or her own success ahead of the company's often is evident long before that person is ready to assume the CEO post.
A reputation for shameless self-promotion. Executives who constantly seek publicity, are always looking for a better job or trumpet their successes while quickly distancing themselves from setbacks are sending strong signals that their egotistical ways may eventually cause major problems.
• A proclivity for developing grandiose strategies with little thought toward their implementation. These executives may assume that others at lower levels will magically turn strategy into reality.
• A fondness for rules and numbers that overshadows or ignores a broader vision. This is the flip side of the preceding problem.
• A reputation for implementing major strategic changes unilaterally or for forcing programs down the throats of reluctant managers. CEOs have to be consensus builders.
• An impulsive, flippant decision-making style. CEOs who approach decision-making with clever one-liners rather than with balanced, thoughtful and informed analyses can expect to encounter difficulty.
• A penchant for inconsiderate acts. Individuals who exhibit rude behavior are apt to alienate the wrong person at the wrong time.
• A love of monologues coupled with poor listening skills. Bad listeners rarely profit from the wisdom of their associates.
• A tendency to display contempt for the ideas of others. Hypercritical executives often have few stellar accomplishments of their own.
• A history of emphasizing activity, like hours worked or meetings attended, over accomplishment. Energy without objective rarely leads to improved organizational performance.
• A career marked by numerous misunderstandings. There are two sides to every story, but frequent interpersonal problems shouldn't be overlooked.
• A superb ability to compartmentalize and/or rationalize. Some executives have learned to separate, in their own minds, their bad behavior from their better qualities, so that their misdeeds don't diminish their opinions of themselves. An important internal check is missing. Others are always ready to cite a higher purpose to justify their bad decisions.
Dr. Leap is a Professor of management at Clemson University. From: The Wall Street Journal
4 comments:
Those of us who struggle on our own to fight workplace bullying are indebted to this blog and those who maintain it.
Aphra Behn
How much does it cost to bully?
Although the law might seem the obvious answer, legal redress is currently limited, according to Liz Adams, head of employment law with Beachcroft Wansbroughs. 'If you can link it to sex, race or disability discrimination, you can claim under those pieces of legislation,' she says. 'If you can't, it is not so easy.'
However, there have been some successful cases. Firefighter John Richards, who was forced to leave his job in 1995 after he claimed he was victimised and bullied by his boss, won more than £100,000 in an out-of-court settlement with West Glamorgan Fire Service after backing from the Fire Brigade Union.
Maths teacher Alan Barber won £100,000 damages at Exeter county council in March 2001 for stress caused by bullying at his school in East Bridgwater, Somerset. He was head of department and took on the additional role of public relations officer, until he became so ill he had to give up work due to bullying from the head teacher.
For most of people, however, legal action is the last resort. They would much rather be able to do their job – without the bullying.
Aphra Behn
Thinking of all those who are being bullied ..... and fighting back.....
I hope someone is thinking about me... I too am fighting back...
Aphra Behn
AFAIK, this is primary prerequisite for being hired by buddies on the board:
"A reputation for shameless self-promotion. Executives who constantly seek publicity, are always looking for a better job or trumpet their successes while quickly distancing themselves from setbacks are sending strong signals that their egotistical ways may eventually cause major problems."
ITRW, self-aggrandizement is the primary work-duty of "higher ranking" execs.
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