Bad-leaders Quote by Barbara Kellerman
““Bad leaders do not typically wake up one morning and say, “Golly gee, I’ve been bad. I need to change my ways.” They will stop being bad only if someone else or something else stops them. And if nothing stops them and no one stops them, they will go from bad to worse.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Bad Leadership, 2009
Bad leaders rarely self-correct; external pressure is needed, otherwise they may worsen.
In simple terms: Leaders need outside pressure to change.
Key Takeaway
Create accountability mechanisms for leadership.
Themes
leadership
accountability
change
ethics
Mood
cautionary
urgent
Type
leadership
organizational
When to use this quote
- performance reviews
- board oversight
- stakeholder feedback
- whistleblowing
- mentor systems
Key Concepts
psychology
organizational behavior
Questions to Reflect On
- What systems can ensure leaders stay accountable?
- How can you intervene before damage escalates?
A Different Perspective
External pressure may be insufficient or misdirected.
![“[Barbara Kellerman] says if you want good company leaders, one of the worst things you can do is tolerate bad ones. Because that can easily spiral and make things much worse.” quote by Curt Nickisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/552/curt-nickisch-229610_bad-leaders_barbara-kellerman-says-if-you-want-good_2436995.jpg)
