The Draining of Leadership Vampires
This is a bonus post of the Bad Leadership series. I was talking to one of my coaching friend's Plynn Gutmanabout the Bad Leadership blog series. She said to me; you have to do an extra one on Leadership Vampires who steal employees successes and claim them as their own. In other words, give credit where credit is due. This blog post is for you Plynn, and thank you for the suggestion.
How does it feel when your boss takes credit for your work? Not good at all. People don't feel satisfied or appreciated when not acknowledged for their contributions. This is becoming a common practice within some organizations.
How do you handle this when it happens? (Pause and Reflect)
What is the organization's culture?
Do they recognize people's ideas or suggestions?
This will make a significant difference in how to react. Is it acceptable to stand up and take credit for your ideas? Will your direct supervisor support you when you do? Is it worth standing up and saying, look at me?
I believe, yes, everyone should be recognized for their contributions. However, some managers don't give credit where credit is due. Remember to pick your battles carefully, primarily when you work for Vampire Leaders.
Ask yourself:
Do I want to announce to everyone, hey, this was my idea?
If yes, (Stop, Pause and Reflect) - Will this halt any future career opportunities?
If no, schedule time to meet with your boss privately to discuss it.
When I think of Leadership Vampires, it is a Boss that sucks the life right out of you. They are harsh, aggressive, demanding, and belittling. They show favoritism and leave you feeling beat down mentally and physically. When around them, you may feel anxious, sick, angry, or depressed. They have a habit of reprimanding staff in front of others and micro-managing employees' time. They lack empathy and drain the positivity and creativity right out of you.
How do you deal with this type of Leadership?
Don't react
Be calm
Listen patiently
Don't interrupt
Don't disagree
Pick your battles wisely.
Apologize when necessary
Don't give them anything to feed on; they love drama!
Take away:
Working for a Vampire leader is exhausting. Keep calm and don't react to the harshness. Work hard and listen carefully. Say your daily positive affirmations throughout the day to keep yourself going. You got this!
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