A leadership crisis has been created over the last decade because we’ve been brainwashed into believing that leaders have to take care of employees the same way helicopter and snowplow parents take care of their children. Don’t let them struggle, feel or strive for mastery. Do it for them and remove all obstacles so they can feel good about themselves. And whatever you do, don’t give your snowflake employees feedback or they will dissolve into a puddle of emotion before your eyes! Let’s stop the nonsense and stop being victims of this leadership crisis where leaders aren’t supposed to lead.  

Here are some signs that you or leaders in your organization are contributing to the leadership crisis. If any of these symptoms are familiar in your organization, its time for your leaders to learn how to Lead With Authority.

You’ve Got a Chaotic Work Environment

Because employees are free to make their own decisions about how and when to do their work, you’ve got a disorganized, chaotic work environment. If you don’t define expectations for employees, you get what you get. When employees receive little to no direction, they make assumptions about what to do. With no one in charge and leading, everyone is marching to the beat of their own drum. 

Employee’s Aren’t Engaged

Trying to make your people happy has backfired. By letting them be self-directing before they’ve mastered their role and avoiding interpersonal conflict, people have become disengaged. You haven’t met your employees’ need for a leader who consistently leads, motivates, values and engages them.  

Your People Like But Don’t Respect You

You’ve spent so much time being a “nice guy or gal” that your employees are walking all over you. While you may have a reputation for being a great boss to work for, employees don’t trust you will be direct and honest with them when they need it. You’ve abdicated your authority setting the stage for disorder, disobedience and chaos as people “do their own thing.”  

You’re Not Hitting Your Targets

When there is no clear definition of performance expectations and little performance correction, employees will work hard to do what they think you want them to do. Your employees frequently end up doing things wrong and wasting time on ideas of their own that don’t meet your goals. You probably spend time either making excuses for employees who fail to deliver or complaining to others about their performance instead of dealing with it.