Podcast: How to Spot Good and Bad Leadership and What it Means

This month, my one hour lively and provocative interview with the hosts of the podcast series “Let’s Break Up – Toxic Workplace Stories” went live. Hosts Gina and Nicola are fun candid hosts who have now published about two dozen episodes of captivating interviews with various people discussing all aspects of toxic workplaces … mine is episode 22. Do examine and subscribe to this series (link.)

Bad bosses and toxic workplaces can have a huge negative impact of organizational effectiveness, employee productivity, employee attrition and at the end of the day, the bottom line. I cannot understand with HR leaders and senior leaders tolerate bad bosses and often do very little to address this. See my 2015 blog, “Why Do We Tolerate Bad Bosses?”

Far to many people leave a job to get away from that “boss from hell.”

In my “Toxic Workplace” session, “How to Spot Good and Bad Leadership and What it Means,” I share candidly about some of the horrific “bosses from hell” I experienced at IBM, some really poor senior leadership, and also about some of my great bosses.

In their summary, Gina and Nicola generously describe me as “an expert in personal growth, business efficiency, and employee development.” They wrote “with a focus on toxic workplaces, this episode delves deep into the crucial topic of spotting good and bad leadership within organizations. Stan’s background included serving as the Director of Global Sales Operations at IBM, where he played a pivotal role in building the company’s highly successful Global Sales Operations unit. Stan spearheaded the consolidation of thousands of employees across various divisions and geographic units, resulting in substantial cost reductions and improved service levels. However, Stan’s expertise extends beyond operations and efficiency; he is also recognized for his exceptional skills in employee development, LGBT diversity management, and organizational effectiveness.

“Join us as Stan shares his invaluable insights on identifying the characteristics of effective leadership and its positive impact on employee engagement and business success. With his passion for empowering individuals and teams, Stan firmly believes that providing the right tools to employees can drive their career growth and ultimately contribute to the overall success of the organization.

“Throughout the episode, Stan engages in a thought-provoking discussion about the telltale signs of both good and bad leadership, drawing from his extensive experience and deep understanding of organizational dynamics. From fostering employee morale and career mapping to maximizing the potential of diverse workforces, Stan’s expertise shines through his practical advice and engaging anecdotes.”

I thank Gina and Nicola for engaging me in this discussion and providing this gracious wording about this episode and my expertise. Do take a listen to episode 22 – “How to Spot Good and Bad Leadership and What it Means.”

Leadership Lessons from Star Wars – The Force Awakens

The entire very diverse team had to work together to defeat the ultimate evil in "The Force Awakens."

The entire very diverse team had to work together to defeat the ultimate evil in “The Force Awakens.”

Just before Christmas this past year, the much awaited new Star Wars Movie, “The Force Awakens” (link to Entertainment Weekly Review) was released with record breaking box office receipts. Having enjoyed the first Star Wars movie while I was still in graduate school pursuing my MBA, I knew I had to see this movie.

I did thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the bringing back of some of the original characters, actors and droids. But I also watched it through the eyes of a management and leadership workplace consultant.

There was an amazing stark contrast between the leadership style of the good Princess Leia (now going by the title General Leia Organa) and the evil love child of Leia and Hans Solo, Kylo Ren.

Let’s first examine General Leia Organa and her approach with her team on figuring out a way to blow up the evil Kylo Ren’s “death star.” A very diverse team of human and not-so-human characters where around a big strategy table each contributing various pieces of information based upon their particular expertise. Everyone listened to and respected each other and as a group took all the various contributions from the diverse parties to arrive at the best solution to win their battle. They seemed enthusiastic and energized working together a team to solve a major challenge. And General Leia led with a positive, enthusiastic style imparting a vision to her team.
starwarsjpegNow let’s look at the evil Kylo Ren. Every time something did not go his way, he threw a temper tantrum and placed blame for the failings on all those around him. He did not listen to advice from his subordinates but instead acted as a dictatorial bully. One scene at which I had to smile broadly was when Kylo Ren experienced another set back and was throwing objects all over the room, some of his troops walked close to the room, saw Kylo Ren in the midst of his temper tantrum, and turned and quickly walked away in the opposite direction! Isn’t that how it is with poor leaders? People do not want to be around them and actually take great pains to stay away.

Whether we are leading a major corporate team, a non-profit, a volunteer group, we can all avoid these traits of bad leadership: bullying, not listening, blaming others, showing anger inappropriately. Instead we can aspire to be excellent leaders: listening to others, appreciating diversity, providing positive vision.