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content/blog/how-to-lose-respect-and-fail-as-a-leader-8-things-you-are-doing-wrong.md

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+---
+author: ula
+tags:
+  - leadership
+  - teamwork
+  - communication
+date: 2025-12-12T06:48:48.099Z
+meaningfullyUpdatedAt: 2025-12-12T06:48:48.118Z
+title: How to Lose Respect and Fail as a Leader. 8 Things You Are Doing Wrong
+layout: post
+image: /images/failure-leadership.png
+hidden: false
+comments: false
+published: true
+language: en
+---
+Leadership today is undergoing some transformation. The research in organisational psychology and management highlights a shift from traditional, top-down authority toward more dynamic, adaptive, and people-centric leadership models. According to [the studies by Harvard Business Review and McKinsey,](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/psychological-safety-and-the-critical-role-of-leadership-development) modern leaders must navigate in the rapidly changing environments, foster psychological safety, and balance business objectives with employee well-being.
+
+Leaders are no longer just decision-makers, they are facilitators of collaboration, enablers of innovation, and architects of company culture. In the context of tech-driven industries, like in every other domains, **leadership requires not just technical expertise but also a deep understanding of human dynamics, team motivation, and continuous learning.**
+
+Everyone has different expectations of leaders and managers, and we know that some expectations are not easily to be fulfilled. Yet there are also certain behaviors and traits that universally undermine effective leadership. **So rather than discussing how to become a great leader or manager (there are thousands of articles on that) let us focus on something less explored - the best ways to become bad one. 😉**
+
+## ⛔️ **Believing you are superior to everyone else**Believing you are superior to everyone else can be one of the biggest pitfalls in leadership. True leadership is not about positioning yourself above others, it is  about empowering those around you to thrive. **Effective leaders understand that their role is not to be the smartest or most skilled person in the room, but rather to create an environment where their team can perform at its best.**  
+
+As Simon Sinek puts it ***“The greatest contribution of a leader is to make others leaders.”*** The research on servant leadership show that leaders who focus on the growth and well-being of their teams foster higher engagement, satisfaction, and performance. Similarly, [a Harvard Business Review study found that humble leaders who acknowledge their team’s strengths and contributions tend to build more innovative and high-performing organizations](https://hbr.org/2025/01/research-humble-leaders-inspire-others-to-step-up). 
+
+Those who lead with humility, emotional intelligence, and a genuine desire to learn from others often drive the most sustainable success, which is not easy, and not for everyone. 
+
+## ⛔️ **Knowing all the answers**
+
+Leadership is not about having all the answers even though I myself once used to think it is. In fact, it is about creating an environment where the best ideas can surface. The management expert Peter Drucker once said that *“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.”.* **I would say that the most important thing in communication is active listening to others.** Ignoring team members' ideas and dismissing others' input alienates a team and stifles innovation.
+
+This highlights the need for leaders to go beyond their own opinions and truly engage with people in their teams. Leaders who listen effectively build trust and make better decisions. By embracing diverse perspectives, they not only avoid blind spots but also foster a culture where people feel valued and motivated to contribute. And let us face it -  there is almost always more than one answer to a question, and it does not have to be leader’s one.
+
+## ⛔️ **Letting ego takes the credit**
+
+[Humility in leadership fosters stronger connections and mutual respect](https://brightinventions.pl/blog/h-factor-in-leadership-do-we-really-need-it/). **Leadership isn not about personal glory, it is about elevating the entire team**. When leaders take all the credit, they may (and often they will) demotivate their team. Bad leaders do not create an environment where success is shared, they do not recognise individual and collective achievements. They are not ensuring that every team member feels valued.
+
+**One day I realized that leadership is not about me - not about my title, my ego, or being in the spotlight. True leaders often work behind the scenes, creating space for others to shine.** Their impact is real, even if it goes unnoticed. Being a leader means letting go of personal recognition and focusing instead on enabling others to grow. It is about creating opportunities, removing obstacles, and quietly empowering those around you to succeed.
+
+## ⛔️ **Spread negative vibe**
+
+This attitude can be incredibly damaging to both a team and your work environment. **When you focus on spreading negative energy, whether it is through frustration, gossip, or constant complaints, it creates a toxic atmosphere that drags everyone down.** People start feeling demotivated, stressed, and less willing to engage, and that is when productivity and creativity suffer.
+
+Energy is contagious. If you walk around the office (or hop on Google Meet) constantly pointing out what is wrong, you are not just venting, you are setting the tone. And trust me, it is not the tone of a winning team. It is the tone of eye rolls, silent meetings, and people updating their LinkedIn profiles at lunch. 😉 **Great leaders lift people up.** They do not ignore problems, but they help the team focus on solutions, keep conversations open, and support others in tackling challenges head-on.
+
+## ⛔️ **Neglecting to give feedback**
+
+One of the fastest ways to fail as a leader is to skip giving feedback. Without it people are like sailors without a compass who are floating around, hoping they are on the right track. 🚢 **Feedback is not just "nice to have”, it is oxygen for growth**. [According to Gallup, employees who receive regular feedback are 3.6 times more likely to be engaged at work.](https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2023/10/27/the-future-of-performance-getting-hooked-on-feedback/)
+
+No feedback? No growth. No direction. No results. And let us be honest - no one wants to be the captain of a ship that is slowly sinking just because we were too polite (or too scared) to say, "Hey, maybe turn left a little."
+
+## ⛔️ **Playing the blame game**
+
+Sometimes I can see one pattern that always ends badly - when a leader cannot admit they made a mistake. It is not that they are bad people (I am quite sure about that), but most of them genuinely believed they were doing the right thing, yet when things went wrong  instead of saying “my bad” they pointed fingers.
+
+Nothing makes a team lose motivation faster than seeing their leader dodge responsibility. **Accountability is a foundation for trust. If a leader cannot say “I messed up,” how can they expect their team to be open, honest, and brave enough to take smart risks?** Owning mistakes does not make you look weak. It makes you look like a human being, and someone people actually may want to follow.
+
+## ⛔️ **Holding on too tight**
+
+When you first step into a leadership role, it is tough to let go. It feels like handing over your baby to someone else and hoping they do not drop it. You may think: “No one can do it as well as I can.” or  “No one can do it as well and as fast as I can.”
+
+But here is the kicker - they usually can and even if they cannot, it is usually not a problem.
+
+At first it feels uncomfortable to share responsibilities, to delegate decisions, and to let others take the reins. It is the moment to have to admit that your way is not the only way. **But the secret is that the more you empower your team, the more they grow, and so do you.** **It is a win-win. The real challenge is not, however, letting go - it is realizing that doing so lets you do more of what you are really good at.** So, delegate smartly, trust your people, and watch everyone rise to the occasion.
+
+## ⛔️ **Playing favorites**
+
+**Favoritism is not just a bad manager’s habit - I would say it is a culture killer.**
+
+It might begin subtly with assigning the most exciting tasks to the same person, overlooking small mistakes from one team member while holding others to a higher standard, or simply listening more attentively to those you personally connect with. You may not even notice you are doing it at first. But your team will.
+
+When people feel the playing field is not level, morale drops and collaboration suffers. Even the "favorite" may sometimes suffers when placed under a spotlight they did not ask for which results in being isolated from the rest of the team.
+
+Great leadership for me means fairness. **It means being aware of your own biases and making sure your behavior reflects your values, not your preferences. Everyone deserves to feel seen, heard, and given a fair chance to grow.**
+
+## **What can you do if you recognise these traits in yourself?**
+
+There are two ways:
+
+### 1. Step away from leadership – it is not the path for everyone, and that is completely fine.
+
+### 2. Start working on yourself - begin addressing the habits or behaviours holding you back. You can’t see them, ask people you work them - they for sure can. Growth takes time, consistency, and effort. There are no shortcuts.
+
+Once I got a piece of advice that stuck with me: ***If you want to help others, start by helping yourself.*** 
+
+In order to truly support, lead, or uplift others, you first need to be self-aware. **Clarity in yourself leads to clarity in relationships.** **When you understand your own patterns, triggers, and values, you lead with intention rather than impulse. It is a reminder that the path to serving others well begins with the courage to do the inner work first.**