Attitude Reflects Leadership

Pessimistic bosses bring employees down while inspiring leaders breathe life into a team.

Ever had a terrible boss? They’re the ones who make getting out of bed each day difficult, who fill your commute to work with dread.

Though such bosses hold senior positions in a company, they certainly aren’t leaders.

Even the most talented individuals can’t realize a grand vision without support. Leaders of brands, businesses and organizations need employees, of course – but more importantly, they need people just as determined to succeed as they are.

Employees will only feel inspired by work if their leader is inspired, too.

Imagine your team works around the clock to produce innovative software to improve your product. It’s been a long, hard slog, and morale is waning.

What would a good leader do? A good leader would show a positive attitude, no matter what. By reminding employees of their importance as part of a project and even planning a celebratory get-together once the work is done successfully, you can give your team the extra boost they might need.

But if you continue to bemoan obstacles and tear your hair out over how long a project is taking, you’ll undermine your competence as a leader. And soon enough, your team will feel and perform poorly, too.

There are no benefits to being a demotivating leader. So why do so many pessimistic bosses have the upper hand in organizations?

One Gallup poll revealed that bad bosses were the top reason for a person quitting a job. Even the employees who do stay onboard often feel disengaged when bad leaders are involved. Another poll saw 70 percent of US workers express feelings of disconnection in their roles at work.

Unfortunately, inspiring leaders are hard to come by in the modern workplace.