INSPIRING Leadership: Learning What to Do by Seeing What Not to Do

Leadership is an incredible responsibility, one that has the power to shape lives, careers, and entire organizations. While some leaders inspire with their vision and empathy, others teach us valuable lessons through their shortcomings. One such manager left a lasting impression on Asha, a seasoned professional with 15 years of global experience across STEM fields. Not for the right, but rather for invaluable lessons on what leadership should never be. Their approach to leading a team was, in many ways, a blueprint of how to alienate, demotivate, and ultimately fail as a leader.

From the very beginning, it became clear that trust was not part of their vocabulary. Every task, no matter how minor, was scrutinized to the smallest detail. There was no room for autonomy or creativity, as the manager seemed to thrive on micromanaging every aspect of the team's work. Constant interference drained not just the team’s energy but also their confidence, leaving them second-guessing even the simplest decisions.

Feedback, instead of being a tool for growth, became a source of confusion and frustration. One of Asha’s team members recalled presenting a detailed report only to have it dismissed with a casual remark about how "busy" it looked. No guidance was given on how to improve it, leaving the team uncertain about how to meet expectations. Without constructive input, feedback felt more like a barrier than a bridge to improvement.

The manager struggled to celebrate achievements. In a workplace, even small wins should be acknowledged. Recognizing effort and success raises morale and encourages a team to do better. However, this manager often ignored appreciation. Whether meeting a deadline or achieving great results, the team's hard work went unrecognized. Asha noted that the manager frequently promoted her initiatives as team efforts but criticized her as a poor performer because her constructive communication style differed from the manager's more dismissive approach. Over time, the lack of recognition eroded team motivation and sense of worth.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of working under this manager was their lack of empathy. Leadership requires emotional intelligence—an understanding of and care for the people you lead. When one team member requested flexibility in their schedule to address safety concerns during a long commute, their concerns were dismissed outright. The manager communicated harshly, making it hard for people to share their needs or issues. It was obvious that caring for well-being wasn't important, which damaged trust and created resentment. As a result, one team member switched to another team (“they were lucky!”, says Asha), another took a long mental health break, and two others found it hard to keep working.

Adding to the frustration was the absence of clear direction. Ideas were frequently dismissed without explanation or alternative suggestions. The lack of constructive input made it challenging to align efforts with expectations, leading to inefficiencies and repeated frustrations. This cycle of rejection and ambiguity left the team floundering, unsure of how to deliver work that would satisfy the manager’s unclear standards.

As if these shortcomings weren’t enough, the manager’s rigid adherence to processes over people further compounded the issue. Innovation was stifled in favor of strict adherence to protocols that often felt outdated and irrelevant. Their reluctance to embrace new ideas or methods meant that opportunities for growth and improvement were consistently missed. It was a glaring reminder that leadership requires adaptability and a willingness to evolve alongside your team.

This style of leadership echoes what happened with Carly Fiorina during her tenure at HP. Fiorina’s focus on processes and mergers over people created a chasm between leadership and employees. Her micromanagement style and resistance to criticism alienated her workforce, leading to low morale and public criticism of her decisions. The controversial merger with Compaq, which she spearheaded, resulted in upheaval and dissent within HP. Employees often felt their voices were dismissed, as the emphasis on operational metrics overshadowed the human aspect of leadership. These dynamics serve as a cautionary tale of how a lack of trust, empathy, and people-first strategies can destabilize even the most robust organizations (HBR Analysis on Fiorina’s Leadership).

Underlying all of this was a glaring gap in their own development. It was evident that the manager lacked the educational foundation and commitment to lifelong learning that great leaders possess. Their limited perspective often led to decisions that lacked strategic depth or foresight, and their unwillingness to expand their knowledge left the team feeling unsupported and undervalued. It was a sobering realization that a leader’s failure to invest in themselves ultimately hinders the growth of everyone they lead.

The consequences of such leadership practices extend far beyond immediate frustration. Over time, this treatment breaks down morale and engagement, creating an environment where employees feel undervalued and unsupported. When employees are consistently subjected to micromanagement, unclear expectations, and dismissive behavior, the workplace becomes a breeding ground for dissatisfaction. This erosion of trust and respect can lead employees to feel trapped in an unhealthy work environment, ultimately resulting in higher turnover rates and a loss of institutional knowledge (Gallup on Employee Engagement).

The problem becomes more insidious when surveillance and mistrust enter the picture. One colleague experienced this firsthand when they realized their comings and goings were being tracked—when they entered the office, when they left, and even which car they drove. Conversations with mentors were questioned, as though seeking guidance were an act of defiance. Such invasive practices not only break down trust but also create an atmosphere of paranoia and fear. Employees begin to feel like prisoners in the workplace, constantly watched and judged for their actions. This level of oversight is not just demoralizing; it borders on harassment and can lead to significant legal consequences for the organization (SHRM on Employee Monitoring Risks).

Moreover, this type of leadership can pave the way for more serious repercussions, such as constructive dismissal claims. When employees feel forced to leave because the workplace conditions have become intolerable, organizations expose themselves to legal risks. Constructive dismissal occurs when an employer’s actions, or lack thereof, make it impossible for an employee to continue working. Dismissive feedback, lack of appreciation, invasive tracking, and failure to address legitimate concerns—as exemplified by this manager’s behavior—can form the basis for such claims. In addition, a lack of empathy and refusal to accommodate reasonable requests, such as safety-related schedule adjustments, can be interpreted as neglecting duty-of-care responsibilities (FindLaw on Constructive Dismissal).

These legal and ethical pitfalls underscore a key truth: leadership does not come from a title or designation. It comes from actions, from the ability to inspire trust, foster collaboration, and empower others to excel. Leadership is not about asserting control; it is about creating an environment where people can thrive and contribute meaningfully. Those who cling to their title without embodying the principles of leadership only create disillusionment and dysfunction within their teams.

For those struggling to navigate the complexities of leadership or find themselves in environments stifled by poor management, this is where experienced coaches like Purple Wins come of tremendous value. Purple Wins offers tailored guidance and strategies to help leaders foster trust, build resilience, and cultivate thriving teams. By bridging gaps in leadership and addressing these critical challenges, organizations and individuals alike can chart a course toward meaningful growth and lasting success.

Let’s strive to be the kind of leaders who uplift and empower, proving every day that leadership is earned through actions, not bestowed by titles.