| Learning from examples of bad leadership can help | | | | potency and its power in maintaining order in the |
| you understand your own leadership skills. You will | | | | workplace. Your credibility will also lose some of its |
| know what to avoid and what to practice. Leadership | | | | edge. Use effective rewards instead to motivate |
| is crucial in any organization. It can set the direction | | | | your people. |
| for the organization, mitigate problems and deliver | | | | Use of fear. |
| the products and services to the right people. | | | | Machiavelli said that it is better for The Prince to be |
| If you are under training for leadership and | | | | feared than to be loved. His principles have been |
| management, you will need to be sensitive to the | | | | applied all over the world by dictators and by |
| leadership styles of people around you-how they | | | | totalitarian leaders. Yet, by using fear, they became |
| handle people, how they reward good and bad | | | | infamous in history and they have not gained the |
| performance, how they motivate people and how | | | | respect of history and of the people who now read |
| they run the workplace. These various things can | | | | about them. |
| help you point out the good leaders from the bad | | | | You better be careful in using fear tactics in the |
| ones. | | | | organization. Would you rather have a quiet and |
| Here are some lessons you can learn from examples | | | | fearsome atmosphere at work or one filled with fun |
| of bad leadership. | | | | and creativity? If you want the latter, then you |
| Do not use threats and punishment. | | | | should not use fear at all in motivating your people! |
| If you want results and excellent performance, | | | | Another way of using fear is to stoke competition |
| punishment and threats are not good ways to | | | | and cultivate an "us versus the rest of the world" |
| motivate your people. They can start to fear you | | | | mentality. When this happens, the workers will also |
| and the punishments that you threaten them with. It | | | | start hating the competition. And the leader will also |
| will make them feel angry at you whenever you | | | | use fear to bring people in line with his agenda. A |
| implement the punishment. They may even start | | | | fear-filled workplace is the perfect recipe for anxiety |
| some "malfunction" and anxiety attacks while they | | | | and even physical illnesses! |
| are at work. | | | | Learn from bad examples of leadership so you won't |
| Threats are even more difficult to use. If you make | | | | have to repeat the mistakes of leaders throughout |
| threats, you better make sure that you are willing to | | | | history. |
| follow through. Otherwise, your word will lose its | | | | |