11 More Signs That Your Boss is an Ineffective Leader: Wasting Time

I recently shared 9 signs that your boss is an ineffective leader. This list picks up the same thread, with a focus on a boss who mismanages his or her own time – and yours.

Here are 11 signs your boss is an ineffective leader:

1. Your boss calls you every five minutes to discuss items that could easily be handled via email.
2. Your boss asks you to come to his office every hour to discuss items that could be handled via email or phone.
3. Your boss is focused more on the latest gossip than generating revenue for the organization.
4. Your boss disappears for hours at a time, and no one knows where she is.
5. Your boss is away from the office for days at a time and does not bother to inform her direct reports of her absence.
6. Your boss picks his nose during meetings.
7. Your boss answers personal telephone calls during business meetings.
8. Your boss appoints committees but micromanages everything they do and changes their plans mid-stream.
9. Your boss calls or texts you afterhours to discuss random ideas that make no sense and could easily wait until the next business day.
10. You send email messages to your boss, but he always responds via telephone because he does not want a paper trail.
11. You meet with your boss about an important topic – and take copious notes – and later he denies some of the decisions that he made.

The good news:
If your boss recognizes that he or she exhibits these signs (and those from the previous list), there is hope for him or her. This person can change.

The bad news:
If your boss exhibits most of these signs and still wants you to nominate him or her for “boss of the year,” you may have a big problem on your hands. While it is difficult to master organizational leadership, there are some who are completely ineffective.

No one is looking for a perfect leader. However, most of us just want to be treated the way our bosses would want their bosses to treat them.

I know you have some items you can add to this list. How about it? What are other signs of ineffective leaders?