The Key Elements of Bad Leadership
The characteristic qualities and behaviors that identify a destructive leader.
Posted March 10, 2025 | Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer Ph.D.
I just finished attending my nth (is the number approaching 100?) leadership conference, and inevitably, there was discussion of the qualities and behaviors of good, exemplary leaders. These qualities and behaviors are often represented as “competency models.”
It got me thinking about the opposite end of the continuum – the characteristics of bad leaders. Unfortunately, when I look around at many political leaders, particularly those who are receiving a lot of media attention , it is easy to see bad qualities on display.
But what are the sure-fire indicators of a bad leader? Here are four:
A Distorted View of Power. Leaders, in general, are supposed to use the power and influence they have by virtue of their positions to achieve positive outcomes. Shamir and colleagues, in their study of charismatic leaders, differentiate between “socialized” and “personalized” power. Socialized power is using a leader’s power for the greater good – for the benefit of all. Personalized power is the leader wielding power for personal gains. Dictators and despots are easily identified by how they use power to enrich themselves, or to increase their power, and limit the power of the people they lead. A leader who is overly punitive, seeks retribution, and increases personal wealth while taking away from others has clearly met this first requirement of bad leadership.
Hypocrisy. A leader who holds others to standards that he does not apply to himself is one of the key characteristics of a bad leader. A leader who does not follow through on promises, and who never intended to, is a bad leader. The biggest hypocritical leaders will accuse others of misdeeds but be guilty of those same misdeeds themselves.
Suspension of Ethical Standards. A truly bad leader is one who removes ethical safeguards and standards that will keep the leader and the leader’s cronies in line. A truly bad leader believes that “the laws don’t apply to me.” As leadership ethicist Terry Price calls it, “exception-making” is a definite sign of an unethical leader when the leader’s behavior is the “exception” to the rule.
Failing to Engage in Critical Thinking. A truly bad leader is impulsive, doesn’t think things through before acting, and does not rely on experts’ counsel and advice to assist in important decision-making . Wrong-headed thinking and a leader who thinks he/she knows everything is a recipe for disaster.
Just look at today’s world leaders. Do these characteristics apply to any of them?
What Do Good Leaders Look Like?
Howell, J. M., & Shamir, B. (2005). The role of followers in the charismatic leadership process: Relationships and their consequences. Academy of management review , 30 (1), 96-112.
Price, T. L. (2008). Kant's advice for leaders:“No, you aren't special”. The Leadership Quarterly , 19 (4), 478-487.
Riggio, R.E. (2020). Daily Leadership Development: 365 Steps to Becoming a Better Leader. B&N Press.
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Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D. , is the Henry R. Kravis Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology at Claremont McKenna College.
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.