The Worst of Leadership

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[size="7"][font="Impact"]The Policy Corner[/font][/size]

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Today's policy corner is simple and to the point. In the past I have asked what makes a good leader. Today I ask the opposite. [color="#FF0000"]

What is the worst leadership failure or series of failures that you have seen in Cybernations?[/color]

Hint, [spoiler]the best posters will be the ones that break down the failures in leadership that they saw in great detail and in an insightful manner.[/spoiler]

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I think if we're honest we could all name ourselves for some of the mistakes we have made. Anyone who knows me well has seen some mistakes that I have made that have lead me to where I am today. I'll save my breath until I see what some of you say

Edited February 3, 2013 by supercoolyellow

[Groucho Marx]

Complacency, procrastination, lack of foresight.

Complacency because one should never become comfortable with the environment one finds themselves in. There's always something that needs work or improvement.

Procrastination because waiting too long to do something which needs to be done could have dire consequences on the alliance as a whole.

Lack of foresight, and this is a common one we're all guilty of, making decisions that could backfire and cause all hell to break loose because one lacked the ability to predict what repercussions there could be and fail to exercise caution while acting.

Those are the three biggest errors I've seen and been guilty of myself. There's always more, however.

Edited June 3, 2010 by Emperor Marx

[Uralica]

Letting sentiment cloud one's better judgement.

This is something I did all too often in gov, hence why I removed myself from it. I felt that I could not possibly be competent as long as I had that stumbling block there.

[lonewolfe2015]

To fail as a leader is just to take a step towards learning to be a better one in the future.

The only 'failures' as you're looking to have answered, are the ones who give up after making mistakes and don't take steps to right their wrongs and improve upon what they have learned through their misgivings.

[Haflinger]

Anything which in some way resembles the leadership skills of DRDavid Banner of Rebbilon.

[New Frontier]

I once made the mistake of letting Jaym hire the caterers for the Gondor Government Working Supper. What a disaster.

On a more serious note, someone once described good leadership in CN, and it's a definition that has stuck with me over my four years of playing this Admin-forsaken game. I'm sure I'll be paraphrasing it, but "Leadership in CN is the ability to make snap decisions on the fly, and then to be able to stick to them". Too often leaders are either paralyzed by the decision making process, or do not have the stones to stand by an unpopular decision.

Edited June 3, 2010 by New Frontier

[Ogaden]

From what I have seen, bad leadership breaks down into a number of factors.

* Failure to lead or take decisive action, forever retreating to the perceived safety of the status quo
* Absenteeism while simultaneously refusing to delegate authority, effectively preventing anything from getting done
* Excessive paranoia or ego leading to a leader promoting obedient subordinates over competent ones, and deliberately driving overly opinionated or contrary voices from leadership or the alliance altogether
* Idiocy, incompetence and/or impulse control problems

These all make innately bad leaders, but innately GOOD leaders can be made INTO bad leaders by other factors

* The "Ivory Tower" effect, where leadership does not understand or respect or even care about what membership thinks or feels about how the alliance is run
* Leadership may begin to believe their own propaganda and honestly believe themselves to be far more powerful, influential and connected than they really are
* Power goes to their heads and they end up consulting no-one and indeed, believe no advice is capable of advising a leader such as they, and make the most absurdly amateurish mistakes which they could have avoided had they asked the opinion of even one non-sycophant.

Noone is immune from making the last 3 mistakes, though the best leaders learn from their mistakes and become better leaders.

[Banksy]

[quote name='Haflinger' date='03 June 2010 - 05:33 PM' timestamp='1275539602' post='2321727']
Anything which in some way resembles the leadership skills of DRDavid Banner of Rebbilon.[/quote]
Iv all way lokd up him to a a leaderships.


A bad leader is someone who doesn't look out for their alliance. Someone who put their own interests/ego a head of their alliance member's. I've also had issues with inactive leaders. You may have been a good leader in the past, but if you are inactive, you are incapable of quality leadership.

[Uralica]

[quote name='Haflinger' date='02 June 2010 - 09:33 PM' timestamp='1275539602' post='2321727']
Anything which in some way resembles the leadership skills of DRDavid Banner of Rebbilon.
[/quote]

I knew it was only a matter of time before he came up

Yes, having a martyr complex, letting hatred blind one to the possible repercussions of an event, demonstrating complete unwillingness to listen, and just flat out not knowing what the hell you're doing will set you up for a [i]very[/i] speedy failure.

[quote]The only 'failures' as you're looking to have answered, are the ones who give up after making mistakes and don't take steps to right their wrongs and improve upon what they have learned through their misgivings.[/quote]

This may seem hypocritical of me, but I actually completely agree with this. The issue I had was (have is) a personality flaw that I felt could be worked on if I focussed on it enough, and with all the work I had when I was in TOOL's gov, I couldn't do so.

Another failure I've seen in the past is sort of similar to what Marx was touching on, but has a more selfish twist - putting one's own personal agenda before the needs of the alliance members.

[theArrowheadian]

Well all you have to do is look at GGA. I mean lets be honest with ourselves. Just a series of bad move after bad move. Even if they did have a solid leadership base that restimulated that alliance, all the bad press would prevent its success.

If we're not pointing anyone out, you'd just have to look at what makes a good leader a good leader and take the exact opposite. A good leader is in touch with the political realm and the internal alliance matters, so conversely a bad leader would be out of touch with everything and be completely centered on retaining power. Essentially, the worst leader is a paranoid dictator, but those never last long in Cyber Nations because no member with any shred of intelligence would either stay in such an alliance or let the leader continue to hold power.

This does bring in the interesting idea of what causes an alliances failure? Is it the members fault for not staying active and willingly working towards its success or is it the leader's fault for not being able to motivate activity throughout the alliance. Personally I believe it's can be both or a combination of the two.

[Hymenbreach]

Not swallowing your pride and tottering from one disaster to another, convinced of your god-given elected right to do stuff and act badly. So, pretty much the Legion up until Post-Viceroy (plus the odd blip - cookies for the first person to mention the Universalis incident - afterwards).

[wickedj]

[quote name='theArrowheadian' date='03 June 2010 - 12:52 AM' timestamp='1275544305' post='2321820']
Well all you have to do is look at GGA. I mean lets be honest with ourselves. Just a series of bad move after bad move. Even if they did have a solid leadership base that restimulated that alliance, all the bad press would prevent its success.

If we're not pointing anyone out, you'd just have to look at what makes a good leader a good leader and take the exact opposite. A good leader is in touch with the political realm and the internal alliance matters, so conversely a bad leader would be out of touch with everything and be completely centered on retaining power. Essentially, the worst leader is a paranoid dictator, but those never last long in Cyber Nations because no member with any shred of intelligence would either stay in such an alliance or let the leader continue to hold power.

This does bring in the interesting idea of what causes an alliances failure? Is it the members fault for not staying active and willingly working towards its success or is it the leader's fault for not being able to motivate activity throughout the alliance. Personally I believe it's can be both or a combination of the two.
[/quote]
Same could be said for Gramlins once Chill took over. From threatening to hold Gre out of Karma war and his snide remarks after the war(which we wont get into ) to Ram getting into power and doing..well..you get the point.

Also, i want to nominate Goose for this hes the worst EVER

[theArrowheadian]

[quote name='wickedj' date='03 June 2010 - 02:14 AM' timestamp='1275549256' post='2321873']
Same could be said for Gramlins once Chill took over. From threatening to hold Gre out of Karma war and his snide remarks after the war(which we wont get into ) to Ram getting into power and doing..well..you get the point.

Also, i want to nominate Goose for this hes the worst EVER
[/quote]

I'm referring to what you could argue is 2+ years.

[James IV]

[quote name='wickedj' date='03 June 2010 - 02:14 AM' timestamp='1275549256' post='2321873']
Also, i want to nominate Goose for this hes the worst EVER
[/quote]

This is true as all he seems to care about is his lawn.

I would say when leaders are not flexible and they get behind the times. The policies that worked in 2006 are not those that will be efficient now.

[Ashoka the Great]

Here is as much detail as I believe I need to provide: RyanGDI.

[Rebel Virginia]

[quote name='Ashoka the Great' date='03 June 2010 - 07:53 AM' timestamp='1275565984' post='2321987']
Here is as much detail as I believe I need to provide: RyanGDI.
[/quote]
[color="#0000FF"]I liked Ryan. I signed a treaty with GDI back when I was heading up FAIL. That said, cowardice. Timidity is laughable, and timidity what dictates too many alliances these days. You are not leaders. You're mice. You need someone like me. Someone with the balls to do what needs to be done. Well, I can't blame myself for being too good for you.[/color]

[Voytek]

I would say hubris and the whole dogma/conceit/personality cult deal that some alliances have managed to cultivate. It's just not good for anyone.

[Sardonic]

This a more obscure one but salithus, the one who tried to obliterate us in one fell swoop, was one of the worst leaders I've ever had the immense displeasure of serving with for what feels like around two to three years.

salithus, especially towards the end, was a complainer. Always complaining about what others had done (especially myself). Whenever he did something however, it was always something that was well outside of his job description or powers. At least towards the end he was only active for a small period each month, usually to complain about something I did or did not do.

salithus was never wrong, or so he said. Nevermind that following his advice constantly would have done us immeasurable political damage, nevermind that one of his processes didn't work and never worked, he was always right, and you were an idiot if you said otherwise.

It was impossible to compromise with him, he was always playing games. Most of the time when starting a discussion he would always suggest the most extreme thing and then "compromise" down to a more reasonable one, just for the sport of it, rather than just cutting out the middle man and suggesting sound policy.

Often he would oh so pithily mention to people "Man we should really coup Sardonic". They thought he was joking, but he wasn't. He wanted the power back, and I wasn't going to let him have it, because he couldn't be trusted not to run the alliance into the ground with his politically ignorant policies. He even masked himself as Pilot one day just to irk me.

Words cannot describe how glad I am to be rid of him.

[Rebel Virginia]

[quote name='Voytek' date='03 June 2010 - 09:19 AM' timestamp='1275571145' post='2322030']
I would say hubris and the whole dogma/conceit/personality cult deal that some alliances have managed to cultivate. It's just not good for anyone.
[/quote]
[color="#0000FF"]Like in MK?

Speaking of MK we can look at a few things. Archon specifically. Because he is so inactive he allows his members to get away with anything, and make fools of themselves. That has lowered the opinion of MK for many people (myself included), yet it works right now. All he has to do is disown them publicly, slap them on the wrist. Nothing, happens, of course, and sooner or later people will wise up.

MK also lets in anyone. This has destroyed the character of the alliance by letting the bottom of the barrel in. A poor mistake by MK's IA.

So in summary, an inactive leader that no one dear challenge plus an alliance that anyone let's in, it is no wonder MK is turning into a rabble.[/color]

[ChairmanHal]

[b]Traits of a Bad Leader[/b]

* [i]Dishonesty[/i] - Displays a lack of sincerity, integrity, and candor.

* [i]Incompetence[/i] - Acts are based upon on childlike emotional desires or feelings rather than on reason and moral principles.

* [i]Myopia[/i] - Lacks goals and has no vision for the future. Picks priorities based on impulse or emotion rather than their basic values.

* [i]Uninspiring[/i] - Fails to display confidence in all that they do. Lacking in endurance in mental, physical, and spiritual stamina. Fails to take charge when necessary.

* [i]Unintelligent[/i] - Seeks out the easiest assignments. Fails to become a student of the subject matter for which they are responsible.

* [i]Prejudice[/i] - Shows preferential treatment to others based on what someone is rather than who someone is. Displays a lack of empathy about the feelings, values, interests, and well-being of others.

* [i]Narrow-minded[/i] - Seeks out agreeable or like-minded individuals to the exclusion of others.

* [i]Cowardly[/i] - Lacks the perseverance to accomplish a goal, even when faced with obstacles. Displays panic and or fear openly when under stress.

* [i]Equivocal[/i] - Fails to demonstrate sound judgment resulting in the making of bad decisions at the wrong time.

* [i]Unimaginative[/i] - Slow to make timely and appropriate changes in thinking, plans, and methods. Fails to show creativity through repetitive goals, ideas, or solutions to problems. Lacking in innovation.


[i]OOC: Based upon "Traits of a Good Leader", Compiled by the Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group[/i]

[Voytek]

[quote name='Rebel Virginia' date='03 June 2010 - 11:26 PM' timestamp='1275571584' post='2322038']Like in MK?

Speaking of MK we can look at a few things. Archon specifically. Because he is so inactive he allows his members to get away with anything, and make fools of themselves. That has lowered the opinion of MK for many people (myself included), yet it works right now. All he has to do is disown them publicly, slap them on the wrist. Nothing, happens, of course, and sooner or later people will wise up.

MK also lets in anyone. This has destroyed the character of the alliance by letting the bottom of the barrel in. A poor mistake by MK's IA.

So in summary, an inactive leader that no one dear challenge plus an alliance that anyone let's in, it is no wonder MK is turning into a rabble.[/quote]

Come on RV, this is weak stuff even by your standards. You'll have to try a bit harder than that if you want any kind of a return on your investment.

[ChairmanHal]

[quote name='Voytek' date='03 June 2010 - 09:53 AM' timestamp='1275573201' post='2322047']
Come on RV, this is weak stuff even by your standards. You'll have to try a bit harder than that if you want any kind of a return on your investment.
[/quote]

Actually in the past I've accused Archon of deliberately hanging back and allowing MK membership to trash talk their way through conversations, only to show up to "save the day" if it looked like MK was taking too much of a PR hit. If in fact it's not a tactic, that would indeed reflect poorly on Archon's leadership or MK membership is simply that bad at following their leadership's example of relative decorum.

As for MK's admissions and membership policies, could be that they let almost everyone in (minus people who are true dregs, like aid thieves), but the leaders of newer nations must go through some sort of academy before they are full members. You would know better than me.

[Ardus]

Leaders will catch flak for everything they do. A good leader can take the punishment. A poor leader fails to be thick skinned in the face of heavy criticism. One of the few things I regret from back in VE is the Deepthinker Ultimatum, wherein I failed to keep a thick skin and let the constant stream of words and harassment get to me. While I got what I wanted out of the affair (Deepthinker was reined or reined himself in, which I'm not sure), I ended up playing a game of high stakes political chicken with a freight train that endangered the whole alliance to get there. A great deal of the political capital we'd built was spent and many of our ties were strained.

Nowadays Deepthinker's approach is a staple of everyday life, but I wasn't exactly used to it back then.

[Ardus]

[quote name='ChairmanHal' date='03 June 2010 - 10:20 AM' timestamp='1275574797' post='2322055']
Actually in the past I've accused Archon of deliberately hanging back and allowing MK membership to trash talk their way through conversations, only to show up to "save the day" if it looked like MK was taking too much of a PR hit. If in fact it's not a tactic, that would indeed reflect poorly on Archon's leadership or MK membership is simply that bad at following their leadership's example of relative decorum.

As for MK's admissions and membership policies, could be that they let almost everyone in (minus people who are true dregs, like aid thieves), but the leaders of newer nations must go through some sort of academy before they are full members. You would know better than me.
[/quote]
All nations go through the academy, new and old.

[lebubu]

RV, tell us more about MK's admission standards. [img]http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/105.gif[/img]