The Shocking Truth About Current Leadership: Why It’s Failing Us
It’s a sure recipe for disaster — out of control failed leadership.
No matter what system, community or organization that you’re connected to — chances are you have disappointing leadership that’s hurting you.
Failed leaders blame others, make excuses and are many times in heavy denial about their groups and the people in them that they lead.
And for you and others members of your team or community — that can have devastating consequences.
Leadership sets the tone for how you and others interact with one another and make decisions that affect the greater good.
Unfortunately, it seems that current leadership across all sectors — political, cultural, and business — is failing us. This failure is not necessarily due to a lack of intelligence or capability — but rather a lack of Ownership, Accountability, and Responsibility (OAR).
The most frustrating ways that current leadership is failing us is by always using Blame, Excuses, and Denial (BED).
I want to tell most of the leaders around me — get out of BED and grab the OAR.
❌ BLAME
Instead of taking ownership of their actions and decisions, leaders often deflect responsibility by placing blame on others.
This is particularly evident in politics — although business and culture leaders are not far behind — where leaders often blame their opponents or previous administrations for problems, rather than taking responsibility for finding solutions.
This blame game not only undermines accountability but also leads to a lack of progress and stagnation in addressing important issues.
❌ EXCUSES
And always making excuses gives up a leader’s power.
Instead of taking responsibility for their actions, most leaders make excuses for why they were unable to achieve their goals or fulfill their promises.
When you make excuses, you’re essentially saying that you’re not fully responsible for your actions and that external factors are to blame. This shifts the focus away from your own behavior and choices and onto external circumstances.
By giving up the power to take responsibility for your actions, you also give up the power to make meaningful changes and improvements.
Additionally, making excuses can erode trust and respect from others, as it can be perceived as a lack of integrity and accountability and suggests that leaders are not fully committed to their role and the people they serve.
❌ DENIAL
Denial is also a common tactic used by current leaders to avoid accountability.
Denial allows leaders to avoid acknowledging their mistakes, and thus avoid taking responsibility for them.
When’s the last time you heard one of your leaders admit to a mistake or apologize with a desire to make amends?
Denial also serves to distract from the real issues and problems that need to be addressed, and prevents leaders from learning from their mistakes and improving their leadership.
Strong leadership, on the other hand, takes ownership of all aspects of being a leader. rather than making excuses or placing blame.
🏆 OWNERSHIP — ACCOUNTABILITY — RESPONSIBILITY
Taking ownership of problems means being willing to acknowledge and accept responsibility for any issues that arise, rather than placing blame on others or making excuses.
It also means actively working to find solutions and taking steps to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future. By taking ownership of problems, leaders demonstrate their commitment to finding solutions and their dedication to the well-being of those they lead.
This approach also allows leaders to learn from their mistakes and improve their leadership skills — which ultimately leads to better decision making and problem-solving in the future.
Strong leaders understand that making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process, and use them as opportunities to improve their leadership skills.
This will feed into their growth mindset.
By admitting their mistakes and taking responsibility for them, strong leaders demonstrate humility and integrity, which in turn earns the trust and respect of everyone around them.
In the business world, strong leadership means taking ownership of the company’s actions and decisions.
Business leaders can be transparent about the company’s performance and taking responsibility for any issues that arise. Strong business leaders also take responsibility for creating a positive and ethical culture within the company, and actively work to promote the well-being of their employees.
Current leadership across all sectors is failing us due to a lack of Ownership, Accountability, and Responsibility (OAR).
Leaders who use Blame, Excuses, and Denial (BED) are not only ineffective but also undermine trust and progress.
Strong leadership, on the other hand, takes ownership of all aspects of being a leader, holds themselves accountable, admit mistakes and learn from them.
Fear is a toxic leadership tool
Many leaders use fear as a tool to control the thoughts and behaviors of those they lead.
This can be done by creating an environment in which people are afraid to speak out or disagree with the leader — for fear of consequences such as punishment, retaliation, or loss of status or employment.
This can lead to a culture of compliance, where people are more likely to follow orders without question, even if they disagree with them.
Fear can also be used to manipulate and control people by playing on their insecurities and vulnerabilities — making them more likely to comply with the leader’s demands.
This can lead to a lack of creativity, innovation and critical thinking among followers.
Fear can also be used to control thoughts and beliefs — enhanced by the power of technology and social media — through the use of propaganda, disinformation and manipulation, spreading false or misleading information to create confusion and mistrust.
This can lead to a lack of transparency and accountability, as people are less likely to question the leader’s actions or decisions.
It’s crucial that you hold your leaders accountable and demand strong leadership that takes ownership, accountability, and responsibility for all aspects of their role.
Also, you can work hard to sift through misinformation and disinformation — yeah you’re bombarded with bullshit 24/7 — to get clarity and truth and eliminate or reduce your fear and anxiety.
Current leadership across all of society is failing us. It’s strong leadership that will be able to navigate all of the current challenges and change.
