Have you ever had a bad boss?  I ask this question often in my talks and so far I believe everyone has said, "YES!" Although I work with a variety of businesses, most of my time is spent serving people in the computer industry.  These leaders are typically strong sales or technical people who got promoted to management or started their own company, but have never been trained how to manage people.

My background is similar.  I entered the industry by starting a company called Raging Bear Productions.  We did tradeshows back in 1982-85.  I grew the company to about ten full-time people.  I thought I had leadership skills, but later learned it was only leadership tendencies.  I was unknowingly a poser. 

On Dictionary.com in the Slang Dictionary area it defines a poser as, "someone who pretends to belong to a group only by affecting the attributes of the group."  A poser leader is someone who has the title, but unfortunately does not know how to lead people.  Their desire may be sincere and their effort may be Herculean, but their results are inconsistent or even regularly poor.

The poser has some leadership attributes, but lacks a systematic approach to fully engaging people for their fulfillment, the leader's benefit and for their company to achieve its goals.  The result is poser leaders work too hard for the results they accomplish.

Think about it.  How many poser leaders can you identify, including... you?

MEETING IDEAS

POSERS is about coming to grips with your weaknesses as a leader and helping your management team develop the skills of superior managers.

This may be an ego check for you.  Are you intentionally learning how to work more systematically so you achieve more in less time and fully engaging your team?

Consider these questions alone or as a team.  The issue is could better leadership of people have changed these outcomes?

 If so, then why not invest in developing your leadership skills so you will better achieve your goals?

1. Have we lost good employees we wanted to keep during the last year?  Who are they and why did they leave?

2. Have we lost sales or clients that we could have won during the last year?  Who are they and specifically why did we lose?

3. Is everyone working their best, or as the Gallup Organization estimates, are up to 75% of our employees not fully engaged?  Try to consider why each person is not giving their best.  Estimate the cost to you, and separately to your organization.

4. How meaningful is your work and working for your company to others in your firm?  Do you and others feel like your work is making a difference in people's lives?