Bad leaders are elected by good citizens. Bad leaders teach us a lot about leadership. We are in the electioneering period and political discussions are the in thing on all media platforms. Followers of different candidates are using different strategies to popularise their candidates.
We have in the past focused on what the voters should look for to vote in a person. Today we look at the kind of people you must not vote for.
Do not vote for a person who is full of himself or herself with a bloated ego. This is a person who will treat you in a disrespectful and rude manner. They will blame you, the voter for their failures. They are unapproachable to the common voter and proud in their engagements.
A bad leader is surrounded by sycophants who make it impossible for others to reach them. They act as gatekeepers and decide who should see or not see the leader. This kind of leader if voted has limited time with the voters. They end up being misled by those around them on the pressing needs of the voters, focusing on the wrong projects.
Bad leaders never communicate effectively. They don’t give any feedback to their voters and most times have no communication plan or strategy. This may lead to confusion and where there is confusion corruption thrives. Check their communication skills, how they communicate on the phone, on social media, or person to person. This will bring out how they are likely to treat the voters.
Do not vote for a person who has no integrity. Such will make questionable decisions either for personal or financial benefit. Leaders who lack integrity end up not being accountable. They will do as they wish and since they never communicate and are surrounded by sycophants, the voter may never know or get to know when too late. I dare say Integrity is the most important quality of a good leader, for without it nothing else works.
A major red flag of a bad leader is unethical behavior and lack of moral integrity. A person who lies to others or whose action is improper should not be a leader. Unethical behavior is those everyday actions that people do every day that are not right. Ensure whoever you vote for does the right thing even behind closed doors.
Bad leaders never express gratitude to people who have helped them. They simply use and dump you. They don’t value honesty or openness in their dealings with people. They are not reliable and trustworthy. Do not elect people with such characteristics.
Do not elect a person who cannot tell you as voters where they are taking you. In other words, people who have no plan and actions on how to get there. If you elect such, five years will end with nothing tangible because they will be “muddling through”
Finally, leadership starts where you are. Check how they have led elsewhere whether in school, companies, church, or home. This will give you red flags on the kind of leader they are likely to be.
What is your view is a person you can never vote for? Let the conversation continue in the comment section.
Dr. Mary Mugo
Strategy, Governance, and Management Consultant
Website:www.marymugo.com
Well articulated we now know
This is a good one, but what defines a leadet? and especially a good or a bad leader are leaders not born that’s God given, made that’s through studding, or made that’s formed through and by others. To me i feel that the kind of leaders we have here and especially in locally in Kenya are the kind of leadership we ourselves have made, being those who are ours, called by our names and being our own, and connected to us in a way. The ones we feel we are beneficiaries. Based on this, we can’t form and make leaders as responsible as they ought to. So let’s stop complaining about leadership in the country. Leadership is not for the rich the poor or those who are disappointed in life but for selflessness and those who are out there to carry the cross of serving the poor , needy sick, disappointed and those who are in tatters. Enjoy day
You nailed it Leaders are as good as their followers that’s why we must educate the followers to change their ways.