No More Bad Leaders: Recent Episodes
Thomas R. Harris
No More Bad Leader's mission is to end the trend of bad leadership and to create a world where great leadership is the norm.
One question people ask is, "How do I lead well?" Or even just "How do I lead?" In this podcast, we cover what it takes to lead well and what you need to do to be a great leader.
Leadership is the #1 determining factor for success or failure in a team or organization, so it is important to raise up and build strong leaders throughout your organization. Whether you are looking to raise someone up to management as a manager or some other leadership-type position, this episode covers what you need to look for in those future leaders.
In this episode, we discuss a few of the promotion mistakes many organizations make that give us bad bosses. Listen to learn so you can avoid these mistakes.
In general, no one thinks they are a bad leader. Even the worst of bosses, they think they are good at what they do. Why is that? We discuss that in this episode so that you can avoid falling into the same traps.
Just like you may have been taught that you can't swim for 30 minutes after eating, you are taught many things about leadership that just aren't so - they are just repeated and believed because they are popular. In this episode, we discuss that leadership myths that may be holding you back as a leader.
This is a list of leadership mistakes that you might be making this is hurting your employees' motivation and employee engagement. Doing these keeps your business or organization from being productive and getting the results you want, and it can also lead to employee burnout, hurt employee morale, and increase employee turnover. Some of the mistakes include creating toxic cultures, maintaining ineffective leadership throughout the organization, a lack of trust, bureaucracy, a lack of appreciation, and more.
Too often leaders get motivation wrong, and they end up hurting instead of helping. In this episode we talk about what it really means and how to effectively motivate your team and the members of your organization.
In this episode, we talk about what you shouldn't do when you give feedback. These are errors that many leaders make that hurt the feedback they give.
Meetings are important, but they often don't seem that way because there are too many of them or they are run poorly. How do you know if you have effective meetings? Here are 15 signs you have bad meetings.
In this episode we talk about how to give effective feedback to your team and employees.
Trust is foundational for leadership. If you want to be effective as a leader, you must be a person people trust. In this episode, we talk about steps you can take to build trust as a leader.
If your team or employees don't respect you, that's an issue, and you need to look at why so you can fix it.
A common piece of advice in leadership and life is to "be yourself." The problem is, in many ways, especially with leadership, that's bad advice. Listen to learn why.
Sometimes people think you need charisma to be able to lead. Often they may think that because they think you need charisma to be able to inspire and motivate. It's just not true, though. Listen to learn why.
If you want to be successful as a leader, you need to be a leader people respect. It makes sense, because if people don't respect you, then you won't have much influence with them. Without influence, you can't really lead.
In this podcast, we cover steps you can take to build respect as a leader.
Trust is vital in leadership. It's important that your team and employees can trust you. If they don't, that will highly limit your effectiveness as a leader.
In this episode, we cover 10 ways that you destroy trust as a leader.
Leadership styles are a lot like learning styles: they are widely believed, widely pushed, and also not quite true.
Listen to learn more.
You may not be as good of a leader as you think you are. It's just true - and there are many reasons for that. To know why and to help see if you are really as good as you think you are - listen now.
When you are about status or looking good versus learning and growing, you handicap your leadership. It's important that you have the right mindset. Listen to learn more.
Leadership isn't built on your style or preferences, it's built on principles. If you want to be a great leader, you need to learn the principles of leadership. If you want to know 7 of the key principles of leadership, listen now!
There are 7 common mistakes entrepreneurs and small business owners make when they hire - but these are mistakes any leader can make. What are these mistakes? Listen to learn now.
Sometimes people, leaders, think that if they plan or "do" time management, then it hurts their ability to be sponteneous, and, if they hurt their ability to be spontaneous, then they miss out on opportunities that may come there way.
However, that's a false mentality. Planning and time management actually help you be spontaneous better. Listen to learn more.
As a leader, we help create the culture and environment for our team and employees. By our actions, we can determine whether our employees pursue excellence, or if they are about avoidance.
And this matters - because if they are about avoidance, their focus isn't excellence, and you will not get the results or productivity from your team or organization that you want.
What do you do to determine that for your employees? Listen to find out.
We know that there are a lot of bad bosses and bad leaders out there, but why is that? What is the cause? It's important that we know the cause so that we can work to fix it. In this episode we dive in to the 7 main reasons (that tie together) that is creating the lack of leadership we have today.
In this episode, we examine the benefits of leaders speaking last in discussions. Too often leaders speak first - and that can ultimately hurt the results we get when it comes to ideas, problem solving, and decision making. It's important that you speak last. Listen to learn more.
Often, to advance one's career, the only way up is through management. However, that's a problem, for numerous reasons, and that is a major reason we have so many bad bosses today.
Why is it an issue and what should we do instead? Listen to find out.
In this episode, we delve into the difference between leaders and managers. Many are unclear about these distinctionsbetween the two because of the confusion about leadership and partially because of the numerous cliches, memes, and infographics that compare and contrast leaders and managers.
We will reveal the true difference between the two and how it impacts you in whatever position you are in.
There's can be a lot of confusion about whether leaders are born or made. Some think they are born because they think there are certain traits you need to have in order to be a great leader. Others say it can be learned. Some say both?
What's the truth? Listen to find out.
In this episode, we dive deep into the importance of having a clear definition of leadership. We acknowledge that many individuals are confused about what it truly means to be a leader, mainly due to the conflicting opinions surrounding this topic. It is crucial to establish a concrete definition as it plays a significant role in shaping our actions and helping us become more effective leaders.
Often, people define leadership based on their personal preferences or specific tasks associated with it. However, these definitions fail to encompass what leadership really is. To provide clarity, we turn to Peter Northouse's book "Leadership," paraphrasing his description as follows: Leadership is the process of guiding people through influence to the accomplishment of a goal.
This definition emphasizes the dynamic nature of leadership, highlighting the need for adaptability and a willingness to adjust based on the situation and the needs of our team. It underscores the fact that leadership involves guiding and influencing individuals rather than coercing or forcing them. Additionally, this definition stresses the significance of having followers who willingly choose to follow us as leaders. Building relationships, respect, and trust with our team members is essential in inspiring them to work alongside us and for us.
Understanding this clear definition of leadership will undoubtedly aid us in becoming better leaders, improving our ability to achieve our goals. By embracing the process of guiding others through influence and prioritizing the development of strong relationships, we can create a more positive and successful leadership experience. So, let's dive in and explore the true meaning of leadership together.
In today's episode, we delve into the topic of tacit agreement in leadership and the dangers it poses. As leaders, it is often uncomfortable to confront others and hold them accountable for their actions. However, when we choose to remain silent instead of addressing wrongdoing or failure to meet expectations, we unintentionally give our implicit approval to such behavior, which can be damaging.
To avoid these negative consequences, it is vital to establish clear expectations and consistently communicate them to everyone. Holding people accountable does not necessarily involve "punishing" them but rather engaging in open conversations, giving them the benefit of the doubt, and collaborating to improve overall performance. If we have neglected to address issues in the past, it is important to take responsibility for not enforcing the established expectations and initiate a conversation to reestablish them.
In this episode, we explore the topic of leadership and the significance of having the right motive as a leader. There is often a misconception about what it truly means to be an effective leader, and this misunderstanding usually originates from a self-centered mindset. As leaders, we can have two main motives - one that is focused on ourselves and the rewards and privileges that come with the position, and another that is centered on serving others and accomplishing the mission together.
When leaders are driven by a self-focused motive, their ability to prioritize the needs of their team and the overall mission becomes hindered. Their focus shifts towards personal gain, and they may neglect important responsibilities and overlook the well-being and development of their team members. This ultimately prevents the team from reaching its true potential.
On the other hand, leaders who adopt a motive of service are propelled by a genuine desire to serve their team and work towards achieving a common goal. They are willing to put in the hard work, have difficult conversations, and make tough decisions because they prioritize the success of their team over personal comfort or recognition. These leaders understand that their role is to guide and support their team members, and they actively seek opportunities to empower them to thrive.
As leaders, it is crucial for us to reflect on our motives and honestly question why we aspire to be in positions of leadership. Is it primarily for personal gain and the perks associated with the role? Or is it driven by a genuine desire to serve others and achieve a common goal? By examining our motives, we can gain a deeper understanding of what truly makes a great leader.
Having the right motive allows us to align our actions and decisions with the needs of our team and the overall mission. It empowers us to lead with integrity, humility, and a commitment to the growth and success of those we lead. Ultimately, leadership is not about personal accolades, but rather about empowering others and collectively achieving greatness.
In today's episode, we delve into the importance of effective prioritization and how it impacts our productivity and growth. It is crucial for us to prioritize our tasks and goals, as not doing so can lead to a lack of productivity and hinder our progress. One common mistake we often make is failing to prioritize at all. When we don't prioritize, we end up being reactive rather than proactive, tackling whatever comes our way instead of focusing on what truly matters. Planning also plays a significant role in prioritization. By taking the time to plan and align our goals with what needs to be prioritized, we can avoid falling into the trap of treating urgent tasks as the most important ones.
On the other hand, we can also make the mistake of prioritizing too much. As leaders, we sometimes try to do everything and convey that everything is equally important. However, this approach leads to inefficiency and confusion among our team. Instead, we need to determine what is truly crucial and concentrate on executing those tasks before moving on to the next priority.
Additionally, we often fall victim to chasing every shiny object that comes our way. We easily get distracted by new opportunities without considering whether they align with our goals and priorities. It is vital to stay focused and evaluate the true value of pursuing something new before diving in. We also mess up when we focus our resources and people in the wrong direction.
Prioritization is a key to productivity and success. By avoiding these common mistakes and learning to prioritize effectively, we can focus on what truly matters and make significant progress towards achieving our goals. So, let's dive into the discussion, learn from our mistakes, and ensure that we prioritize wisely.
How you treat ideas matter, especially as a leader.
Sometimes you can hold an idea tightly - to your detriment. You and your team can also start seeing ideas as attachments which keep you focused on defending your idea and prevents you from finding the best idea.
Listen to learn how treat ideas better.
If you want to be more productive as a leader and if you want your team or employees to be more productive, it's important that you follow the 3 keys of time management.
Listen to learn more.
In this episode, we discuss 7 key ways to build influence as a leader. Influence is vital as a leader because, without influence, your effectiveness as a leader will be highly limited. Your position will only take you so far. You need influence.
Our results are determined by our choices. When we choose to skip out on the work or cut corners, we are really hurting ourselves. We can't expect to be great if we try to get by with as little as we can. As a leader, cutting corners and doing the minimum also speaks to our followers - can they trust us? What kind of followers do we attract?
Listen to know the laps and to find out more.
One problem many leaders have is that they can't seem to get away from work. Their team may call or email them constantly about problems, they may feel they are always putting out fires, and they feel they can't get away because something always comes up.
There can be multiple reasons that cause this - and it's something you can overcome. In this episode, we explore the reasons why we get caught in this trap and the steps we can take to get out and overcome.
Too often, consensus is seen as a golden standard of healthy teams. In reality, however, it's the opposite. You want disagreement. You want dissent. Listen to find out why.
One of the best steps you can take to create a high performing team and to create a company that is engaged is to make an environment where your team or employees feel safe.
Too often, leaders and organizations focus on process instead of outcome. As a leader, that can demotivate our employees, and as an organization, it can actually prevent us from reaching our goals. Listen to learn more.
When teams don't perform well, some leaders blame the team. They think, "If I only I had a better team, we would be getting better results."
That mentality is false. It's ultimately the leader, not the team. Listen to learn why.
Too often, when people get put into a position of leadership, they fall into the trap of detachment. They think they understand and know better because they are in that position of leadership, but they are actually detached from the reality of their company and what is happening to those below them. Listen to learn more.
Having an individual performer mindset as a leader can mess you up. In this episode, learn how these mistakes happen and how to avoid it.
We all go through stages when we learn. It's part of it. It becomes dangerous, though, when we think we know whatever that topic is when we are still only in level 1.
Too often, when people "learn" leadership, they are stuck in level 1 knowledge. It's part of the process, but it's dangerous when we are stuck there.
Your definitions are important. When it comes to leadership and business, how you define them affects your behavior, outcomes, and long-term results. It affects everything. If you define it poorly, you could think you are accomplishing something, when really you are hurting yourself and others. So question : Are your definitions helping or hurting you?
When it comes to the common knowledge and common practice of leadership, there is superficial information as well as misconceptions of what leadership is and how leaders should work. In this episode, we are going to talk about one of the most biggest misconceptions about leadership today.
Businesses can fail for many reasons. Sometimes it happens quick. Others are slow killers. In this episode we are going to discuss one killer that can slowly creep in on a business, destroy motivation, kill innovation, and make the business inept in much of what it does. As a leader, your actions determine whether this killer hurts your organization or not.
Why the Podcast No More Bad Leaders?
You've likely experienced what we've experienced in the past - bad leadership. Bad leaderships hurts people, businesses, nonprofits, school systems, the government - everything. Everything rises and falls on leadership.
This podcast is about ending the trend of bad leadership and creating a world where great leadership is the norm. We ask you to be part of this mission to change the world for the better.