The Two Leadership Failure Patterns

The Leader Factor

Tim and Junior talk about the two primary failure patterns in leadership, incompetence and corruption. Effective leaders are leaders with high competence and high moral character. A deficiency in one or the other leaves us susceptible to poor choices, values, and influence on our leadership journey. As part of the episode, our host outlined four different types of leaders. Are you the apprentice, the accomplice, the villain, or the hero?

Takeaways

• Leadership failures often fall into two categories: incompetence and corruption.
• Character and competence are both essential for effective leadership.
• Influence can be positive or negative, depending on the combination of character and competence.
• The relationship between incompetence and corruption can lead to a downward spiral in leadership and life. Leadership can be categorized into four quadrants: the apprentice, the accomplice, the villain, and the hero.
• Developing both character and competence is essential to becoming a hero leader.
• Plotting your current and future positions on the leadership field helps identify the gap and create tension for growth.
• Closing the gap requires a fearless examination of personal leadership pathology and a commitment to change.

Timestamps

Introduction (00:00)

The Two Failure Patterns: Incompetence and Corruption (00:35)

The Two Axes: Character and Competence (03:01)

Character and Competence: The Intersection (04:17)

Building Influence through Competence and Character (06:18)

Influence Can Be Positive or Negative (08:00)

The Relationship Between Incompetence and Corruption (16:11)

The Four Character Types: Apprentice (25:42)

The Accomplice (29:13)

The Villain (31:19)

The Hero (34:27)

Plotting Your Position (40:18)

Closing the Gap (46:53)

Final Thoughts (58:13)