The High Cost of Poor Leadership

Mindy Barker | Barker Associates

We talk a lot about leadership and how strong leadership is required for success in any organization. Strong leaders guide the company and the team along the mission-paved path, leading to the alluring vision of what the company will be one day. Strong leaders are confident enough to help grow skills in others without being intimidated. They can also manage various personalities and determine the strongest course of actions. But what happens when there is poor leadership? Is it just a matter of not liking the boss, or are there more dire consequences? 

Think back to a time when you worked for a manager who didn’t know how to manage, was irritable, gave no direction, had unrealistic expectations, etc. You probably dreaded going to work every day. Maybe you even quit your job – a job you actually liked – because you just couldn’t stand working for this person one more day. You may have gotten out of a bad situation, but what effect did your leaving have on the company you worked for? 

The Real Costs of Poor Leadership 

Most people don’t realize how much poor leadership costs an organization. There are the more obvious financial implications caused by poor leaders such as bad decision-making, higher expenses, and lower revenue from an operational standpoint, but what about the cost in terms of the staff? Bad leaders can cost companies millions of dollars a year by negatively impacting employee retention, customer satisfaction, and productivity. The health of the team can quickly deteriorate right alongside the financial statements. 

Bad leadership comes in many forms, but having poor communication skills is one of the worst. When leaders don’t know how to communicate effectively, they can’t adequately direct employees. Consequently, employees don’t truly understand the mission and vision of the organization and have difficulty visualizing their own goals. Instead, they become methodical in their accomplishment of tasks, with no innovation or stake in the outcome. This can lead to unmet deadlines, a reduction in productivity, and unhappy customers, all ultimately leading to a toxic environment and high staff turnover. 

Staff turnover is more than inconvenient; it is extremely costly to a company. With additional exit interviews, followed by interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and training new employees, constant turnover can directly affect the bottom line. Statistics show that 57% of staff leave a company because of their boss. That’s more than half of the staff. Further, each staff turnaround costs an average of $5,500. So, in an organization of 100 employees, that costs the company $550,000 in staff turnover alone.  

At the end of the day, bad leadership causes damage that is difficult to repair. It incurs higher costs for a company and lower profits. But the good news is that being proactive can help eliminate these risks. Be aware of the following signs of poor leadership before an employee you value walks out the door:  

  • disengagement by employees,  
  • lack of cohesiveness among the team,  
  • decrease in productivity, and  
  • poor morale.  

You might consider instituting employment surveys and manager reviews to help spot these signs faster. But remember nothing is a substitute for truly listening to your employees. And once you spot a problem, keep in mind that it is only half the battle – you also have to address it. And that may mean firing or reassigning a poor leader for the larger benefit of the whole team.  

You can also prevent bad leaders from developing by investing in your future leaders. Provide meaningful opportunities to learn and improve leadership skills to even entry-level employees who show initiative and promise. A small investment at the outset can lead to improved staff retention, which leads to increased productivity, profits, and success. Remember the adage, “employees don’t leave companies, they leave managers.” Keep your employees around longer by developing managers they actually want to work for.  

Barker Associates has extensive experience in leadership issues and their overall effect on the team. We can assist in determining effective solutions that will help your team stay engaged and onboard. If you need assistance, or have any other questions, please click here to schedule a 30-minute consultation at a rate of $100.  

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