Dishonest leaders never succeed in the long run; I’ve seen it over and over again. They come across as uncommunicative, deceiving, and unworthy of trust, and you find yourself always questioning their motives. What makes it complex is that most of the time, it isn’t obvious that the leader is being dishonest.
The most discreet sign of dishonest leadership is self-centeredness and self-promotion. Dishonest leaders habitually toot their own horns, even when the credit is not fully theirs. Their main focus is advancing in their careers and they’re willing to trample on anyone to achieve their goals.
This article will discuss subtle signs of dishonesty in leadership, including self-centeredness, an overwhelming sense of superiority, and an inclination for secrecy. We will also discuss behaviors that may indicate dishonesty, such as bullying, gaslighting, and gossip-mongering. Dishonesty in leadership is a red flag, so if you can’t wait to learn more, let’s start!
1. It’s All About Me, Myself, and I
Dishonest leaders are not keen on giving credit where credit is due. They are often too arrogant to acknowledge excellence in their team members, especially if the act will overshadow their own perceived brilliance. They are also too prideful to admit mistakes and shortcomings, and may even sometimes place the blame on their unsuspecting team members.
Dishonest leaders are usually so egocentric and self-absorbed that they only think about their own welfare and how they can protect and advance their careers. They are always on the lookout for what can benefit them, rather than searching for opportunities to promote their team’s development.
2. They Think They Know Everything
Dishonesty in leadership becomes quite apparent when there is an attitude of self-centeredness and conceit. Good leaders are eager to grow and are humble enough to acknowledge that they aren’t always the smartest person in the room. When a leader isn’t curious about new information or other perspectives in the business and isn’t unassuming enough to try and learn from others, it’s a red flag.
3. They Love Playing the Blame Game
Good leaders practice extreme ownership. Being answerable to the work you deliver is a positive trait that focuses on the willingness to improve. On the other hand, placing the blame merely highlights negative points and focuses only on what has been done erroneously.
An honest leader sets high standards for the team that are both realistic and challenging. When team members falter, leaders must step in to offer guidance in finding solutions and aiming for improvement, rather than wasting time playing the blame game. Pointing fingers and harping on mistakes pulls down the team’s morale and makes them feel disinclined to interact with their leader.
4. They Like Keeping the Team in the Dark
Effectively leading and managing a team requires great communication skills. Good leaders ensure that the team runs like a well-oiled machine and everyone is in the loop about set objectives and the strategies and tactics to get there. They also update the team about any challenges or glitches encountered along the way.
Dishonest leaders aren’t open and transparent when dealing with their team members. They choose not to disclose relevant information for self-serving reasons. It may be due to a lack of trust in their team’s loyalty, paranoia that something might backfire, or simply wanting to keep information to themselves.
These leaders have a tendency to manipulate or distort the information, so it isn’t always obvious that they are hiding information. Part of the reason they do this is to keep the informational upper hand thinking this will make them more powerful and important in the organization.
5. It’s a One-Way Street and They’re in Charge
Dishonest leadership creates an inflexible, stressful atmosphere in the workplace. Communication lines aren’t open between the leader and team members, making everyone feel quite weary and unsure. The flow of ideas, guidelines, and input come only from the leader and they do not expect nor encourage their team to participate in any discussions.
For these reasons, dishonest leaders find it difficult to develop rapport with their team and earn their trust and loyalty. Often, this further fortifies their resolve to conceal information and maintain ambiguity in the workplace.
At Sancus Leadership, we are extremely clear on one thing; without trust, there is no team, only a group of people.
6. It’s Their Way or the Highway
Leading and managing a team doesn’t mean that only your ideas, rules, and expectations matter. Although certain leadership approaches — such as an autocratic leadership style — give leaders complete control over decision-making matters within the team, leaders should still consider their team members’ perspectives.
Dishonest leaders tend to utterly disregard or reject their team members’ viewpoints since they do not support transparency and openness in business. They fail to see the value of synergism and engagement and instead prefer that they always get their way. Most of the time, they will do everything in their power to enforce their ideas even if it means trampling over someone on the team.
7. They’re Micromanagers
Micromanagement is often a sign that leaders are having trouble trusting their team members. In turn, they make themselves unworthy of trust, too. Instead of giving their team members autonomy and space to perform their tasks and make decisions on their own, micromanagers make work more tedious than it should be by demanding compliance without any qualms, frequent updates, and acquiescence to constant monitoring.
Teams that are micromanaged often see their leaders in a negative light, especially since they can’t help but mirror the mistrust accorded to them. They view their leaders as dishonest and self-serving, making it such a chore to work with them.
8. They Almost Never Say “No”
Leaders who have trouble saying “no” might be people-pleasers. This can be favorable to their team members in certain aspects, especially if this behavior allows them to make decisions and accomplish tasks autonomously. However, it can also potentially not be a good thing, especially if the leader is merely reluctant to disappoint or offend people.
Not being able to say “no” even when the situation calls for it makes such leaders inefficient in their job. Their dishonesty can be detrimental to the business and to the people around them. The organization’s welfare should be among their primary concerns, so they should learn how to be tactful enough to disapprove ideas and input without coming across as offensive or insolent.
One of the best predictors of success in business is scoring high on disagreeableness, I just did my big five personality test a few weeks ago, and it gave me very useful insight into my character. You can do your own big five personality trait tests for around $10, and I definitely recommend it.
9. It’s Difficult To Get Their Reaction
In managing a team, leaders must offer guidance and support to their team members and ensure that they are always on the right track in terms of accomplishing goals for the business. Providing constant feedback is key to ensuring this, so leaders must become honest, thorough, and intentional when doing so.
Leaders who rarely react or provide any feedback to their team members fail to help them grow and develop their skills. Some team members may assume that not eliciting reactions from their leader signifies satisfaction with the quality of work they deliver, only to be taken completely by surprise later on when things backfire. Honesty and transparency are keys to providing helpful feedback and are among a leader’s most vital roles.
10. They’re Gossipmongers
Effective leaders exude professionalism. They must be sticklers for accuracy, quality work, and productivity. They should spearhead efforts in promoting a healthy, professional culture in the workplace, and must never be associated with spreading rumors and false information.
Leaders who often speculate about others may find it difficult to earn their team’s trust, respect, and loyalty. Their team members won’t be comfortable confiding in them or discussing struggles with them for fear of this sacred information being disseminated to the whole team. This will result in the cultivation of ill feelings and secrecy within the team, making it extra challenging to work synergistically.
11. They Resort to Gaslighting
Effective leaders are good for their word and can be depended on by the team to follow through on their commitments. They make sure that their team members always have access to the truth to ensure the workflow is always smooth and synergistic.
Dishonest leaders are often inconsistent and cause a lot of confusion in the team. They backtrack on the things they committed to and put the blame on their team by gaslighting them to save face. Such leaders disrupt the workflow and encourage animosity and mistrust within the team. Instead of cultivating a healthy, engaging atmosphere, they foster uncertainty and skepticism.
12. They’re Bullies
Toxic and dishonest leaders think they’re superior to everyone else, and that they’re always right. Since they possess power and authority due to the hierarchy in the workplace, they expect their team members to promptly follow their lead and dislike being questioned or corrected.
When team members speak up to them, regardless of how respectfully done, such leaders berate their team members, label them uncooperative and insubordinate, and may even resort to bullying them. They focus on getting their way, even if it means resorting to spreading false assumptions, rather than doing what’s best for the business. As a result, team members also become reluctant to be transparent to their leaders, causing a rift in team dynamics.
