Leadership Faux Pas #2 – Being Faux Real
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 6 months you have been bombarded faux people making faux claims in an attempt to come across as being faux real! All in an attempt to be elected to the highest leadership office in the world.
It feels like some of these candidates have changed their positions so many times that they no longer know who they are or what they stand for … for real! They care only about themselves and yet they wrap it in an illusion that it is all about the American people. What a shame …
But aren’t their similarities to some leaders you encounter in the every day world of business?
Leaders who feel they have to pretend to be something or someone else. Leaders with hidden agenda’s who focus more on themselves then their people? These types of leaders are what I refer to as being … faux real.
Below is a list of 10 Truths About Faux Real Leaders. You might want to review the list and make sure none of these truths apply to you and your leadership.
10 Truths About Faux Real Leaders
- They waffle when they need to stand firm and they stand firm when they need to shift (usually when they make a mistake, are caught in a lie, or are uninformed about some situation but try to pull a power play anyway).
- They put their own career and agenda above everything and everyone else.
- They have various facades (masks) they wear depending on the group and the environment. In other words they are one person in church on Sunday and a different person at Happy Hour on Friday night.
- You don’t know where they stand on an issue because they are more concerned with being popular than taking a stand … especially when it’s tough!
- They choose to be opaque instead of transparent when dealing with others … they shape the facts, lie by omission, and have hidden agenda’s.
- They don’t answer questions directly. Instead they either deflect by shifting topics, pointing the finger, or bold-face lie and deny it … while they act insulted that you would even ask them such a horrendous question.
- Their words don’t align with their actions. For example, they may tell you to read a book on leadership even though they haven’t read it themselves … they just act as if they did.
- They usurp the power of others in order to increase their sense of authority. They say things like … The CEO wants this … My boss is all over me about this so we need to get it done now … I didn’t want to have to tell you this but the CFO wants … etc. (you get the picture).
- In connection with number 8 … Faux Real Leaders don’t take a stand for their people. They take direction from above and push it down to the next level down even when it is unrealistic or illogical.
- They are more concerned about their image, their title, and kingdom building, then they are about doing the right thing, being vulnerable, or developing their people.
So how did you fair? Any of these show up on your list?
The bad news is that people already see through you … so you aren’t kidding anyone!
The good news is that with a little humility, a lot of honesty, and a little vulnerability … you can change direction and start a path towards being authentic and real!
