Tag Archives: effective leadership

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

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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.”

My Five Components of Excellent Leadership

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Webster’s Dictionary defines leadership as “the power or ability to lead other people,” but for most people, there’s a lot more to it than that.

About a year ago, I replied to a press inquiry from someone writing an article on leadership and was soliciting quotes. I provided mine, and then was totally surprised when, over the past year, over two dozen other writers and bloggers have picked it up and used it!

This is my initial quote was included in the article on “Business News Daily.”

“Effective leadership is providing the vision and motivation to a team so they work together toward the same goal, and then understanding the talents and temperaments of each individual and effectively motivating each person to contribute individually their best toward achieving the group goal.”

Link to the complete original article “33 Ways to Define Leadership.”

Now let me break this quote down into five important components of leadership, piece by piece:

1) Providing the vision and motivation to a team … A good leader understands the overall vision and goals for the team and then expresses it in a clear and dynamic way so that entire team understands it and is motivated to support it. This could also include soliciting input from the team members when forming the vision and goals. When people have a role in “vision forming,” they more frequently will take personal ownership.

2) So they work together toward the same goal … It is important for the leader to serve as a unifying force for the team and encouraging and rewarding good team work. This often can be difficult; a leader may sometimes need to address issues or people who are working on their own agenda instead of the team’s.

3) Understanding the talents and temperaments of each individual… And then the good leader understands that members of the team bring a diverse collection talents, temperaments and styles. The good leader will take the time to learn about and understand each team member and work to fully leverage and utilize their unique skills to the maximum benefit for the team project.

4) Effectively motivating each person to contribute individually their best… and though the leader is leading and motivating the team, the excellent leader knows how to best motivate each individual. Some people may need more prodding and pushing than others. Some people are positively motivated by more frequent praise and feedback. Others may be seeking a financial bonus or career promotion. It is important for a good leader to customize their leadership style to best address each individual.

5) And finally … toward achieving the group goal… Leadership comes around full circle to where we began; achieving results. A good leader keeps their eyes on the end game and the results they are trying to achieve, and continues to lead the team and each individual toward accomplishing that team goal.

Excellent leaders can have a profound and positive impact on driving business results, and all organizations should continue to train and foster effective leaders who build and lead effective teams of talented individuals who achieve team goals and reap personal fulfillment.

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Here are some of the other articles that later picked up and used my leadership quote:

Leadership Definitions by Scholars

In his “The Leadership Challenge” blog about what true leadership is, consultant Andrew John Harrison includes my quote along with 14 others. Who are the 15 quotes from? They include Ronald Reagan, John C. Maxwell, Ernest Hemingway, Dolly Parton, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower …. and ME!

On page 15 of the January / February 2016 issue of “Mentor Magazine”