Counterproductive Leadership - Capl.army.mil

Counterproductive Leadership:Strategies to Identify, Assess, & AddressVisit us at usacac.army.mil1

IntroductionVisit us at usacac.army.mil2

Identify Counterproductive LeadershipVisit us at usacac.army.mil3

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPLetting Go of the Toxic Label Lack of shared understanding about what “toxic” means Labels the person rather than the behavior Highlights overtly negative, malicious behaviorsVisit us at usacac.army.mil4

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFact vs. FictionOnly really poorleaders demonstratethese behaviors.Leaders whodemonstrate thesebehaviors cannotchange.If a leader is gettingresults, then they arenot demonstratingcounterproductiveleadership.Aspects of Armyculture can makeindividuals more proneto demonstratingcounterproductiveleadership.Visit us at usacac.army.mil5

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPCounterproductive Leadership Defined Counterproductive leadership is “the demonstration of leaderbehaviors that violate one or more of the Army's core leadercompetencies or Army Values, preventing a climate conducive tomission accomplishment” (ADP 6-22). Army researchers have studied these behaviors and their impacts.Visit us at usacac.army.mil6

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPCounterproductive Leadership Defined What examples of counterproductive leadership have youwitnessed? What impacts of have you personally seen in a previous unit?Visit us at usacac.army.mil7

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPCategories of Counterproductive Leadership BehaviorsAbusive BehaviorsSelf-Serving BehaviorsErratic BehaviorsLeadership IncompetenceCorrupt BehaviorsVisit us at usacac.army.mil8

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPGeneral Indicators of Counterproductive Leadership What are some general indicators or warning signs that maysuggest that counterproductive leadership is occurring within aunit?Visit us at usacac.army.mil9

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPGeneral Indicators of Counterproductive LeadershipIndividuals display non-verbal cues that indicatethey are uncomfortable around the leader.The leader surrounds him/herself with “Yes” men orwomen.When something goes wrong, the leader blamesothers.Visit us at usacac.army.mil10

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPIdentifying Counterproductive Leadership at Different Levels In your subordinates In your peers In your superiors In yourselfVisit us at usacac.army.mil11

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPUncovering Counterproductive Leadership in SUBORDINATES What are some methods you could use to help you uncovercounterproductive leadership in subordinates?Visit us at usacac.army.mil12

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPUncovering Counterproductive Leadership in SUBORDINATES Conduct battlefieldcirculation Advertise your open doorpolicy Hold sensing sessions Complete command climatesurveysVisit us at usacac.army.mil13

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPUncovering Counterproductive Leadership in PEERSYou may be the ideal person to intervene because you have:OptimalvisibilityTrustBut you may Think you’ll hurt the relationship by speaking up. Be tempted to avoid the situation or leave it to asuperior.Visit us at usacac.army.mil14

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPUncovering Counterproductive Leadership in SUPERIORS Pay attention to factors thatmay be contributing to thebehavior.– "Every time subordinates providesuggestions at a meeting, the leaderseems to take offense and belittlesthem in front of everyone. It isalmost like suggestions are a directthreat to his ego and self-concept ofa 'strong leader.'" - CPT– "When the leader has a tightdeadline from HQ, he is short withus and loses his temper if we makemistakes or our pace isn't up to hisstandards." -MSGVisit us at usacac.army.mil15

IDENTIFY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPUncovering Counterproductive Leadership What are the biggest barriers to identifying and uncoveringcounterproductive leadership in your unit?Visit us at usacac.army.mil16

Assess Counterproductive LeadershipVisit us at usacac.army.mil17

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPOur BiasesBias #1How we interpret ourown behaviorVs.How we interpret others’behaviorI arrive late to a meeting.CPT Smith arrives late to ameeting.I hit traffic (situation).She must be lazy anddisorganized (character).Visit us at usacac.army.mil18

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPOur BiasesBias #2How we intend for ourbehaviors to come acrossI want my unit toknow that I reallycare, so I’m offeringto help out.Visit us at usacac.army.milVs.How others perceive ourbehaviorsWhy doesn’t he trustus to do our jobs?19

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPHow to Check Our Biases Reflect instead of react Posture of empathy– Empathy allows the leader to anticipate what others areexperiencing and to try to envision how decisions or actionsaffect them.Visit us at usacac.army.mil20

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFactors to AssessVisit us at usacac.army.mil21

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFactors to Assess: SituationArmy Culture: Striking the Right Balance Values mission accomplishment and good work ethicSelf-assuredCharismaticPhysically fitDecisiveFollow chain of commandVisit us at usacac.army.mil22

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFactors to Assess: Situation What kinds of common situational factors contribute tocounterproductive leadership in any work place? How might the Army’s values and cultural norms make individualsmore prone to demonstrating counterproductive leadership?Visit us at usacac.army.mil23

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFactors to Assess: SituationCultural Values Taken to the ExtremeAchievement of Results Quickly and at Any CostFulfillment of the “Hard Charging” Army LeaderStereotypeExtreme Deference to AuthorityVisit us at usacac.army.mil24

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFactors to Assess: s Past history Personality Personality Cognitive ability Adaptability CompetenceObserverCharacteristics Is in a negativestate of mind Wants to impressan observer Response tofeelingthreatenedVisit us at usacac.army.mil25

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFactors to Assess: BehaviorsBehaviors – What Are They? What specific behaviors are you:– Witnessing directly?– Hearing about from others?– Seeing in command climate surveyresults (if applicable)?Categories: Abusive Behaviors, Self-Serving BehaviorsSpecific Behaviors Witnessed Berating and humiliating Bayne Smith for honestmistakesSpecific Behaviors Shared by 1LT Williams The Major creates schedules to fit his needs, neverworrying about the hassle it creates for everyoneelse.Visit us at usacac.army.mil26

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFactors to Assess: BehaviorsFrequency – How Often Do the Behaviors Take Place? When assessing frequency:– Record how many times youhave seen the behavior orheard of the behavior(s) takingplace.– Record times and dates.6 FEB, Weekly Staff Meeting (0800 hours) MAJ Rolston berated Bayne Smith, yelling andinsulting him, for an honest mistake in a projectupdate13 FEB, Weekly Staff Meeting (0800 hours) 1LT Henry proposed a different approach for atraining event than what the Major had presented,but the idea was immediately dismissed by MAJRolston, who said it was a stupid waste of time thatwould never work13 FEB, In the Major’s Office (1300 hours) MAJ Rolston was yelling at 1LT Henry for offering adissenting opinion during the meetingVisit us at usacac.army.mil27

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFactors to Assess: BehaviorsSeverity – How Extreme Are the Behaviors? Certain behaviors aresevere enough to requireimmediate action:– Physical threats– Sexual harassment– Illegal activitiesVisit us at usacac.army.milThe bullying and intimidation is rude and unprofessional, butthe Major never crosses the line into actual harassment orphysical threats. After bullying someone, he senses theirhumiliation and plays it off as if he was just joking around.28

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFactors to Assess: BehaviorsTriggers When do the behaviors occur? What conditions provoke the behavior?Visit us at usacac.army.mil29

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFactors to Assess: BehaviorsTriggersSituationDoes the leader tend todemonstrate these behaviors inpublic meetings or groupsettings?Is the leader under pressure toshow results?Does the leader feel threatened?Does the recipient of thebehavior often disagree with oroppose the leader’s ideas?Is the recipient whining ormaking errors?Is the leader new to the positionand feeling the pressure to makean impact?Is the leader under high stress?ActorsCould the recipient's non-verbalcues be provoking the behavior?Are certain observersconsistently present when theBehaviorsleader demonstrates particularHow often and when do the behaviors occur?behaviors?How extreme are the behaviors?Visit us at usacac.army.mil30

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPFactors to Assess: ImpactsIndividualsUnitsOrganization Decreased healthand well-being Lowered unitperformance People leaving themilitary Decreasedopportunities fordevelopment Decreased trustand cohesion Perpetuatingexamples of poorleadership Decreasedmotivation andperformancequalityVisit us at usacac.army.mil Eroding morale Reducedmotivation andreadiness31

ASSESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPConduct an Integrated AssessmentVisit us at usacac.army.mil32

Address Counterproductive LeadershipVisit us at usacac.army.mil33

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPThe Case for Taking ActionVisit us at usacac.army.mil34

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPThe Case for Taking Action What are the biggest risks to you personally for coming forward toaddress counterproductive leadership? What steps can you take to reduce risk?Visit us at usacac.army.mil35

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPRecognize and Manage Risk Explore & Reflect: Learnabout different strategies andtechniques. Reflect on howyou might use them in yoursituation. Select & Commit: Hypothesizewhich techniques are likely tobe effective and commit totesting them in small ways. Test & Learn: Define each testand what success looks like.Run your test, and beobservant. Reflect and learn.Visit us at usacac.army.mil36

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPStrategies for Addressing Counterproductive LeadershipIntervene for OthersDirectly AddressStrengthen Your ResilienceVisit us at usacac.army.mil37

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPIntervene for Others StrategyRefocus or redirectBuffer or protect othersProvide support to affected individualsVisit us at usacac.army.mil38

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPIntervene for Others StrategyRefocus or Redirect Move attention away fromthe counterproductiveleadership in the moment Provide an exit to helpindividual escapeVisit us at usacac.army.mil39

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPIntervene for Others StrategyBuffer or Protect Others Attend or rearrangemeetings Limit solo interactions orexposure to others Shield and protect your staff Talk to the leader to helpredirect the team’s energyon the task or workVisit us at usacac.army.mil40

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPIntervene for Others StrategyProvide Support to Affected Individuals Reach out to affectedindividuals Listen and build up theirconfidence Brainstorm ways to handle,cope, and prevent behaviorsVisit us at usacac.army.mil41

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPIntervene for Others Strategy Where have you seen theseIntervene for Othersstrategies be used? What made themsuccessful?Visit us at usacac.army.mil42

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPDirectly Address StrategySet boundariesDe-escalate a negative exchangeReport to othersVisit us at usacac.army.mil43

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPDirectly Address StrategySet Boundaries Decide on boundaries Decide whether to makeboundaries explicit Determine how to enforceyour boundariesVisit us at usacac.army.mil44

ADDRESS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE LEADERSHIPDirectly Address StrategyDe-escalate a Negative Exchange Hit the “pause” button Use open-ended questionsto prompt the leader toreflectVisit us at usacac.army.mil45