What is the most common telltale sign of a terrible leader (military or civilian)?

PFC Harry Leuchen — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 23:28:01 -0400

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 19 at 2016 11:40 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 23:40:18 -0400

When you are told to work late as they clock out and head to the door at 1700

Response by SFC George Smith made Oct 19 at 2016 11:45 PM

SFC George Smith — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 23:45:46 -0400

a stuffy arrogance about them and never interested in whats going on and always criticizes the work done and walks away...

Response by LTC Leonard M. Manning, Sr made Oct 20 at 2016 12:13 AM

LTC Leonard M. Manning, Sr — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 00:13:31 -0400

Well, let me step into this - we have 1 mouth and 2 ears for a reason; to listen twice as much as we talk. Poor leaders talk twice as much as they listen. I always tried to listen to those around me, to take in their input, and to make a decision. I did not always decide based on my subordinates input but I always listened to them. I never asked my troops to do something that I was not prepared to do.

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2016 12:24 AM

ENS Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 00:24:16 -0400

Someone who doesn't listen to anything their people say - they only see something one way - their own. Pretty much when you voice your concern, however they are clearly just waiting for you to finish speaking (not listening to a word you say).

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2016 12:36 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 00:36:34 -0400

When someone stops taking their problems to you, then you know you are in trouble as a leader.

Response by PFC Jim Wheeler made Oct 20 at 2016 2:38 AM

PFC Jim Wheeler — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 02:38:23 -0400

Anyone who would not be willing to do a task they would assign a subordinate to do. Anyone who leaves before their subordinates. Anyone who makes policy decisions without having personal experience with the department they are effecting without at least talking to the people who work there about what they would change.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Oct 20 at 2016 3:01 AM

SPC Erich Guenther — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 03:01:26 -0400

Um someone that says they are Socialist without understanding fully what it means or how to implement it at a National Level without starting famines and other nice things of the sort. Sort of like Lenin but a little more gray hair and a bit of a hunch in the posture.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Oct 20 at 2016 3:24 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 03:24:22 -0400

Worst boss I ever had was as a civilian; he had a temper unlike anything I had ever seen before and anything at all could set him off. Working for him was like dribbling a medicine ball through a mine field while calling in an air strike on your position; you never knew what would get you but you knew it would be bad.

He once got into a red faced screaming fit with a secretary over a typo. Fortunately, the owner of the company was in an adjoining office at the time and fired him on the spot.

Response by PO3 Rob Strickland made Oct 20 at 2016 5:41 AM

PO3 Rob Strickland — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 05:41:50 -0400

In either world it would have to be the "Do as I say, not as I do" leader.

Response by MSgt James Mullis made Oct 20 at 2016 9:53 AM

MSgt James Mullis — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 09:53:52 -0400

Inconsistency and poor performance (i.e. losing).

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Oct 20 at 2016 12:09 PM

CSM Michael J. Uhlig — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 12:09:34 -0400

The BEST leaders will share hardships with their people! conversely, the worst of them (and there are plenty POS leaders out there!) live by the motto of do as I say, not as I do!
Nobody expects you to be the first in everything, but they troops expect you to at least be there with them!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2016 12:42 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 12:42:42 -0400

" do as I say not as I do "

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2016 10:22 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 22:22:59 -0400

A two faced leader. The kind that is the perfect example of a leader in front of superiors, but when there is no higher leadership around completely flips to a shit talking screw off that has no interest in listening to his subordinates. The self promoter. I guess that's more than one, but extremely toxic behaviors.

Response by SPC Alexander Brandt made Oct 21 at 2016 7:47 PM

SPC Alexander Brandt — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 19:47:00 -0400

Definitely the Do-As-I-Say leader. My last team leader (and acting squad leader for a good year) fell into that camp and neither I nor my squad could wait until he left. The minute we found out he was PCSing, morale jumped more than a few notches.

He was the Armchair NCO and spent more time sitting in the squad leader office talking smack with the other NCOs. He knew nothing about our equipment and masked the ignorance by delegating everything. I came to by unit as a PV2, but I was the one showing my squad leader how to operate equipment they'd spend years working with.

Response by COL Brian Shea made Oct 21 at 2016 11:38 PM

COL Brian Shea — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 23:38:20 -0400

Not willing to accept responsibility.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 22 at 2016 11:23 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 11:23:11 -0400

Someone who wants to look better than the people they lead. Someone who sees good numbers as success instead of good people as success. Someone who doesn't even make the work environment safe for 60% effort.