[January 31, 2015] Most people who’ve worked for more than a few years have probably had the unfortunate experience of leaders who don’t really lead but display harmful leader traits. These traits will be destructive to individual workers and the organization as a whole. These are called counterfeit leaders and any organization with them had better check the door, because people will be leaving.
A few years ago, Ken Shelton coined the term “counterfeit leaders” in his book called Beyond Counterfeit Leadership: How You Can Become a More Authentic Leader. In his book he discusses how our egos can trick us into thinking we know more than we really do and are thus prone to stop learning how to improve. While everyone has some counterfeit leadership in them, according to Shelton, the best are those who are authentic leaders who reject the unethical manipulation of workers.
Of course, at the foundation of great leadership are having the right core values that make it possible for people to improve their lives. Too many of us have had a regrettable incident with a leader who would not do the right thing. The counterfeit leader is one who many people will like and respect; usually for doing them favors. True leadership doesn’t require special favors but the treatment of workers respectfully and with care.
Herein lays the challenge for anyone wanting to be a good leader. How do we avoid the pitfalls of the counterfeit leader while being authentic in our dealings with people? Of course, this is most difficult and requires advanced social skills and an underpinning of ethical principles.
The counterfeit leader lacks the courage to address difficult issues, hold people accountable, make hard decisions, and do those difficult things required for long-term progress. Instead, the counterfeit leader plays politics, promotes their self-interest, and is a protector of their “turf.” They are more interested in saving face and making short-term gains. This is why they are so interested in quick fixes and avoiding any problem or difficult situation. In essence, the counterfeit leader is a fraud. It doesn’t take long for the best employees to figure them out and start looking to leave the company.
The fewer counterfeit leaders we have the better. Our mission, should we accept it, is to expose those who are counterfeit leaders and do what we can to repair the destruction they have caused. Indeed, an extraordinary undertaking.
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