Teaching Leaders How Not to Behave

Peter Drucker once said: ' We spend a lot of time teaching leaders what to do. We don't spend enough time teaching leaders what to stop. Half of the leaders I have met don't need to learn what to do. They need to learn what to stop.'

What are some of the behaviours which leaders need to be careful about? Typically, they are transactional flaws performed by one person against others. They include:

• Winning too much.
• Adding too much value.
• Passing judgement.
• Making destructive comments.
• Starting with 'No', 'But' or 'However'.
• Telling the world how smart we are.
• Speaking when angry.
• Negativity or 'Let me explain why that won't work'.
• Withholding information.
• Failing to give proper recognition.
• Claiming credit that we don't deserve.
• Making excuses.
• Clinging to the past.
• Playing favourites.
• Refusing to express regret.
• Not listening.
• Failing to express gratitude.
• Punishing the messenger.
• Passing the buck.
• An excessive need to be 'me'.

The solution to changing behaviours such as these is relatively simple - leaders need to use their positive skills rather than expose their negative flaws.