When Top Leaders Shun their Responsibilities

It is a frequent scenario is many organizations where top leaders shun their responsibilities and adopt a complete hands-off management style which is not really meant to empower decision making but meant to not only avoid conflict but also save their backs.

Following examples provide some insight into how such top leaders behave and act:

• The top leader is afraid to confront the leader of a functional area who frequently misses important meetings citing another commitment every time. Instead she writes an email indirectly indicating that leader to attend but does nothing in case of another miss
• The top leader creates a closed-knit group of lieutenants. Such lieutenants may not have the required professional competence and expertise but are part of the exclusive loyalty club created and promoted by top leader herself
• The top leader has the habit of sending surprise emails (with some hidden agenda) once in a while requesting for ridiculous information without bothering to understand the context and current situation and then writing another email offering unsolicited and unfounded advise
• The top leader suggests initiating utter nonsensical practices and activities relying on the advise of the trusted lieutenants without considering the advise of those who have the professional competence and expertise
• The top leader constantly engages in communications and acts that are intended to demean and dilute the standing of those who have the professional competence and expertise but not a part of the exclusive loyalty club of the trusted lieutenants