How to spot Incompetent Leaders

The article left me a little cold - it is short on describing the specific behaviours of incompetent
leaders and focused more on personality traits(arrogance primarily) he feels are the root cause. The
following two consecutive sentences convey to me ha author feels incompetence is the pervasive
norm;

“However a great deal of research has shown that people who are really bad a something rate their
own skill as highly as people who are really good at something – mainly due to a lack of self-
awareness.

This means that we cannot realistically rely on those in power to measure their own capabilities. But
if it’s true who should be responsible for predicting and ideally mitigating incompetence in leader?”

That seems a bit overstated to me. Perhaps I’ve been lucky. The majority (certainly not all) of the
leaders I have worked under have been closer to the servant leader model that the autocratic,
arrogant “leader” this article describes as nearly ubiquitous. I would also point out that I have seen
some very nice humble incompetent leaders as well.

There is also a throw away sentence in there that seems to equate incompetence with an absence of
ethics. That seemed odd unsubstantiated and out of place to me. While the topic in general is
worthwhile this author seems to be mostly indulging a desire to rant
 Build “Hardiness” Into Your Organizational Culture

 "Pressure Doesn’t Have to Turn into Stress," Nicholas Petrie asserts, "Pressure is not stress. But the former is
converted to the latter when you add one ingredient: rumination, the tendency to keep rethinking past or
future events, while attaching negative emotion to those thoughts. Of course, leaders must practice reflection
— planning for the future or reviewing past lessons — but this is an analytical, short-term process, with
positive fallout. Rumination is ongoing and destructive, diminishing your health, productivity, and well-being.
Chronic worriers show increased incidence of coronary problems and suppressed immune functioning.
Dwelling on the past or the future also takes us away from the present, rendering us unable to complete the
work currently on our plates. If you ask ruminators how they are feeling, none will say 'happy.'  Most feel
miserable."

I was reminded of that passage as I began to work my way through Steven Stein and Paul Bartone's
explanation of "how to make stress work for you." Despite all manner of "progress" in various fields of
research, "with the explosion of knowledge about mental health and the increased availability of technology,
we still haven't been able to take control of our problems. In fact, in many ways, things have gotten worse."
Petrie agrees, as do I and countless others.

What to do and how to do it?

Stein and Bartone focus on the Hardiness Resilience Gauge (HRG). "It is the years of research using this
instrument that has helped inform much of what we have learned about hardiness. Many of the studies we
talk about in this book have relied on this business measurement tool."

For many people, the greatest challenge they face is to make a commitment to gaining or regaining control of
themselves and their lives. Highly developed hardiness (mental, emotional, and spiritual) enables them to
sustain that commitment. In this context, I am again reminded of "The Serenity Prayer," formulated by
Reinhold Niebuhr: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the
things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."

After reading and then re-reading this book, I remain convinced that most (not all) problems within a
workplace culture create pressure (to varying degree) and unless they are managed effectively, they become
worse...and this stress can eventually result in burnout.

Here's a metaphor to ponder: Tires without pressure are flat and can be repaired.  If they continue to be used,
they will be shredded. Unlike tires, people can increase their hardiness.  They can also help others to increase
their hardiness. That's the WHAT. The WHY is obvious?

In their book, Steven Stein and Paul Bartone explain the HOW. They offer examples of dozens of people who
have taken full advantage of the principles that serve as a foundation for the Hardiness Resilience Gauge. The
fact remains, however, that each reader must take full ownership of the commitment, challenge, and control
that their own peak performance requires.

Most people have a vision of success. That's fine but keep in mind what Thomas Edison once observed: “Vision
without execution is hallucination."