Bad Leadership: What It Is, How It Happens, Why It Matters is a book written by Barbara Kellerman, lecturer in
public policy at
Harvard University's
Kennedy School of Government. The book was published in
2004 by
Harvard University Press (ISBN: 1591391660).
Barbara Kellerman catalogues seven human flaws that have caused various politicians, company directors and other individuals to make serious errors of judgement. She explains how these flaws are likely to go unchecked in many organisations, and she provides several compelling examples of people falling from grace.
Incompetence :
The leader lacks the skills or will to be continually effective.
Jill Barad; as the CEO of Mattel purchased The Learning Company for an exhorbitant sum.
Juan Antonio Samaranch; as chairman of the International Olympic Committee he failed to deal with scandals involving the awarding of bid cities, and the rise of doping amongst elite atheletes.
President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia; was impotent in the face of corruption, terrorism and economic malaise.
Rigidity:
The leader fails to adapt to new circumstances, ideas and opportunities.
Vladimir Putin; Beslan, the Moscow theatre siege, the Kursk - all could led to better outcomes if he had not been so dogmatic, unyielding and abrasive to outside help.
Mary Meeker; the Queen of the Net share-market pundit who failed to notice indicators that the dot com age was about to collapse in early 2000.
Intemperance: The leader lacks self-control.
Marion Barry; Mayor of Washington DC, until he was forced to step down for using cocaine and marijuana.
William Bennett; Served as George Bush Snr's Drug-Czar as Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and as Ronald Reagan's Secretary for Education. Also was a problem gambler.
Callousness:
The leader is uncaring and unkind to individuals and the organisation.
Rudolph Giuliani; Barbara Kellerman mentions the less pleasant aspects of the former mayor of New York City, like giving public space to corporations, removing low income housing from the Times Square area and releasing the criminal record of Patrick Dorismond after he had been accidentally shot dead by NYPD police officers.
Al Dunlap; professional downsizer known as "Chainsaw Al" or "Rambo in Pinstripes".
Corruption:
The leader lies, cheats and steals.
Vincent Ciaani; in 2001 he was indicted by US federal authorities for racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, witness tampering, and mail fraud while serving as mayor of Providence, Rhode Island.
William Aramony; As President of United Way from 1970 to 1992 he ripped off the charity an estimated US$1.2 million.
Insularity:
The leader disregards the welfare of those outside the organisation or outside the core of the organisation.
Bill Clinton: Criticised by Barbara Kellerman of ignoring the plight of Rwandans.
Lee Raymond: President of Exxon at the time when Exxon Valdez ran aground and polluted the Alaskan coast. Courts regarded it as "reprehensible" that the company allowed a known drunk to pilot the oil tanker, and got so annoyed with Exxon continually appealing that it increased punative damages from $4 to $4.5 billion plus interest (after they had been initially reduced from $5 billion).
Evil:
The leader is prepared to be gratuitously malevolent to achieve their goals.
Radovan Karadzic; prepared to engage in ethnic cleansing against Bosnian-Muslims, Croats, and Kosovars in order to protect and solidify the borders of Serbia.
Pol Pot; Engineered a zealous perpetual and cruel class-war in Democratic Kampuchea.