It may feel like I’m parsing words, but I think there’s a difference between someone being a bad leader and leading badly. Can someone lead poorly without being a bad leader? The distinction I’m trying to make here (which might be a distinction without a difference) is that someone can be a lousy leader as it relates to the actual job of leading and still be a generally good person. I think the flip side of this issue is also accurate, and that is, in today’s world, a person may be morally rotten but still be seen as a good leader–or at least a successful one. And yes, this applies to those on both sides of the secular-sacred divide.
Before I discuss what I mean by bad leadership, I need to define my understanding of good leadership and what traits we generally look for in a good leader. Here’s my general understanding of what defines a good leader–character, competence, and consistency.
1. Character—I live and work in the faith domain, so one of the common questions I hear relates to assessing whether they are deeply committed to Jesus. That’s important, but honestly, that ought to be a minimum for even getting in the door as it relates to serving in a faith organization. Character is more than being honest or having other traits associated with personal integrity. Here again, those should be minimum requirements. Having character also includes questions like “Do they empower those on their team? Are they more concerned about the welfare of those on their team than their personal agenda? Are they empathetic? Is he or she a servant-leader, or do they expect to be shown honor? Are they able to separate noble mandates from their personal ambition? The list could go on, but you get the point.
2. Competence–Checking the character box is essential but not enough. We must also ask, “Are they competent?” We’ve all been in situations where we knew someone who deeply loved Jesus and displayed moral integrity but were utterly incompetent in their role. Most people who lack competence also lack self-awareness, so they may not be aware of their lack of competence. I would love it if the pilot on my next flight out of Denver deeply loves Jesus and his faith overflows into how he lives his life; however, besides being a faithful Christian, I want him to be competent. After all, I’m trusting my life into his hands. When we think of leadership in these terms, we understand that competence is crucial.
3. Consistency—This is demonstrating the above over time—demonstrating a proven track record, which eventually positively impacts one’s reputation.
“If a person is high in character and competence and they have been doing it for a while, you can trust that they will probably do a good job where they’re currently serving. If they are high character but low competence, it will eventually harm your reputation in the community and hurt your organizational culture. If they are low character but highly competent, the organization will probably see temporary success, but “a day of reckoning” is usually around the corner. If a person is high in character and competence and they have been doing it for a while, you can trust that they will probably do a good job where they’re currently serving. If they are high character but low competence, it will eventually harm your reputation in the community and hurt your organizational culture. If they are low character but highly competent, the organization will probably see temporary success, but “a day of reckoning” is usually around the corner.
So, a lack of competence leads to bad leadership, and a lack of character is a trait of a bad leader. I don’t think we have to make this compromise. It’s possible to find highly competent people with high moral character. When those people wind up in the right roles, they are usually consistent, which leads to long-term success for the organization.