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Traits of bad leaders
Kellerman (2004) emphasized the importance of identifying bad leadership traits to enhance the understanding of leadership. To Kellerman, since bad leadership permeates and threatens organizations and society, focusing exclusively on the traits of good leaders causes researchers to miss connections between good and bad leadership. Examining examples of bad leadership, Kellerman identified seven traits of bad leaders:
- Incompetent
- Rigid
- Intemperate
- Callous
- Corrupt
- Insular
- Evil
Understanding the dark side of leadership provides insight for not only enhancing leadership but also for improving followership.