Are you an effective leader?

One of my tests of a leader, perhaps the most important, is whether people are willing (if not eager) to follow them.

Being the titular head with staff reporting to you doesn’t make you a leader. It may make you a boss, but not a leader.

History is rife with stories of soldiers who killed their officer. There’s even a name for it: fragging. History channel reported in 1971:

As the Vietnam war continues, the Pentagon releases figures confirming that fragging incidents are on the rise. In 1970, 209 such incidents caused the deaths of 34 men; in 1969, 96 such incidents cost 34 men their lives. Fragging was a slang term used to describe U.S. military personnel tossing of fragmentation hand grenades (hence the term “fragging”) usually into sleeping areas to murder fellow soldiers. It was usually directed primarily against unit leaders, officers and noncommissioned officers.

In 2024, I don’t think there’s a risk that you might be fragged by one of your team.

But there are risks that:

• They leave.
• They fail to give you their best work.
• They hesitate to follow directions.
• They don’t respect or trust you.
• They doubt your direction.
• They may even badmouth you in a way that reaches your own boss.
• You get a…