How Dysfunctional ‘Leaders’ Get Smart People To Work For Them
Have you seen leaders who create chaos, lead dysfunctional teams and still paints the perception of success? Have you ever worked in a dysfunctional team? Have you ever worked for a dysfunctional ‘leader’? Have you ever wondered how the ‘leader’ attracts and retains talented people?
The ‘leader’ makes mistakes after mistakes, operates outside the norms of accepted behaviour and still gets well-meaning smart people working for them. The worst-case scenario is when the ‘leader’ is seen as extremely influential with far-reaching power connections and there are no immediate threats to their power or position.
I have had the opportunity to observe, study and work alongside corporate leaders who have the deadly combination of being both dysfunctional and influential. The team members have two clear choices they can make out of their free will — stay put OR move on. What would they choose? Contrary to conventional thinking, many chose to stay put and follow the ‘leader’. Why?
Interestingly, there are few manipulative techniques that Dysfunctional Leaders(DLs) use to keep smart people to work for them. The DL who understands human behaviour and frailties traps many into submission, obedience and compliance.
(1) Public Recognition
The DL exploits the basic human craving for public recognition. Dysfunctional leaders(DL) shower praises on their obedient followers and they do it in complete public view. This shapes the behaviours in the team. The unwritten rule to get public recognition, adulation and accolades are to please the DL.
(2) Higher Remuneration
The DL fights for higher remuneration, better privileges and fringe benefits for his or her team members. The DL often reminds the team why they deserve a higher remuneration and how they are “working on it”. This makes the team members trust the leader more. They start to believe their leader is working in their best interests, unlike other leaders who are more fair, truthful and pragmatic.
(3) Selective Highlights
The DL brags about the team’s accomplishments at every opportunity. They often selectively highlight and exaggerates the organisation-wide positive impact of the team’s efforts. This raises the profile and visibility of the team. The team members start to believe that they are out to do great things! They are on a mission that’s giving them visibility.
(4) Flattery and Secrets
The DL keeps team members morale high by trusting them with “important” insider secrets, consistent flattery and sharing information that makes the team member feel trusted, wanted and important.
(5) Divide and Rule
The DL makes the team members feel fearful, jealous and suspicious about outsiders. The DL often starts rumours and tells “jokes” about people who are not “them”. In a large organisation, I met a DL who said to his team “ The problem in our organisation is that all the best are in our team. We are forced to work with the rest.” The Divide and Rule policy is consciously nurtured to build the fortress around the DL. Anyone who deserted the team is badmouthed, demonised and even dehumanised so that fewer team members will even think of leaving the team. This pattern of “limitation of thought” soon becomes an ingrained habit. Some team members fall into the belief trap that they are “fighting the villains” in the system. For many, the higher remuneration, the fringe benefits, the consistent flattery and endless praise are too good to leave behind. ( What is the guarantee that another role elsewhere, is better than this?)
(6) Keep their Eye on the Prize
The DL constantly gives hope to team members about the rewards they will get for staying on. The DL professes the impending victory of the team’s efforts. In the DL’s worldview, the future always looks brighter than the present.
(7) Respects Power and Influence
The DL is always watchful of people who are more powerful than them in the hierarchy. They often build a close personal rapport with those who are more powerful than them. The DL invests quality time to build a strong personal network of relationships. This apparent connection with people with power and influence is often brandished to bolster the DL’s position. The team members are led to believe they too can benefit from the DL’s power and influence.
(8) Cover up for Failures
The DL is always willing to cover up the mistakes of loyal team members. The DL is always seen as standing up for loyal team members. This gives air-cover for the team members as they follow the DL’s worldview and work to achieve the DL’s mission. The team members felt compelled to reciprocate by speaking up for the DL and defend their actions.
Why does that happen? How can smart people be easily manipulated into submission?
Author Harold Kushner attributes the following lines to Viktor E. Frankl, the author of the popular book ‘Man’s Search For Meaning’ — “{a person} may remain brave, dignified and unselfish, or in the bitter right for self-preservation, he may forget his human dignity and become no more than an animal. “
We will hopefully never see the brutality or crimes of war in our corporate world. However, we often see smart people working for dysfunctional leaders and supporting their mission.
Call To Action:
Here are some questions for self-reflection.
- If you end up in such a team, what can you do? Stay aware of the choices you make, the actions you take and take stock of the people you are associated with. Redesign your work by choosing to do what resonates with your own values, passion and purpose. But, are you aware of your personal values, passion and purpose?
- Who will bell the cat? What safety provisions does your organisation have in place to prevent dysfunctional silos that can poison the organisation, destroy its values and derails its mission?
- Have you ever worked in a dysfunctional team? Have you ever worked for a dysfunctional leader? What have your observed? What would you recommend team members to do?
Manoj Vasudevan is an internationally renowned Next Level Leadership Readiness expert, management consultant, and the World Champion of Public Speaking. He helps executives and entrepreneurs to break through to the Next Level in career and life. Manoj is known for his expertise in simplifying complex topics into practical strategies. He is the CEO of Thought Expressions and holds an MBA from Imperial College, London. His books include the international bestseller Mastering Leadership The Mousetrap Way. and How to become the World Champion of Public Speaking. He speaks at international conferences, multinational companies, universities, and around the world. As a coach, Manoj has a proven track record in personal transformation and breakthroughs. CEOs, Senior Executives, UN Diplomats, Celebrities & Professionals from 32 nationalities have benefited from Manoj’s coaching. To contact the author’s team, click here.
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com/in/manojthecoach/.
