In leadership, there is the term green flag, and there is also the term red flag. Many people still think leadership is synonymous with titles and positions. Titles and positions are important, but not the most important. What matters most is influence, vision, and the ability to inspire and guide others towards a common goal. The success and failure of a team or organisation is largely determined by the quality of the leader. A good leader will lead the organisation to glory. Even vice versa.
So, what is the difference between a good leader and a bad leader?
Green Flag
Inspire, empower and create a conducive environment for others to thrive. These are the characteristics of a green flag quality leader. People are willing, not forced, to follow the direction of this kind of leader.
Why do green flag leaders have the above characteristics? They understand the emotions of themselves and others. Green flag leaders are also good at empathising, actively listening, and responding to their team’s needs with understanding and compassion. They make their team members feel valued. This in turn fuels others to do their best.
Green flag leaders are not only visionary, but also good at sharing their vision with others. This includes explaining their expectations to others.
Good leaders are not just good at giving orders. They set an example for others. They are willing to take responsibility for their actions, while admitting their mistakes if they are wrong. Most importantly, they have integrity. Integrity creates credibility.
Green flag leaders become mentors to the people they lead. They open up training and development opportunities for their employees. They are also able to explore and optimise the potential of others.
Nowadays, change is happening so fast. Faced with this situation, green flag leaders remain adaptable. They always see all challenges, crises, and uncertainties as opportunities to grow. In other words, they are always confident and optimistic.
Red Flag
Meanwhile, red flag leaders have the opposite characteristics to green flag leaders. They do not care about the feelings of others. As a result, others constantly feel anxious and alienated, feeling like they have no real place in the organisation. In addition, they set unreasonable deadlines, don’t care if others are exhausted, and only care about short-term results.
A bad leader must also be a bad communicator. They are not transparent, inconsistent in setting expectations, and unwilling to accept others’ suggestions. This leaves people confused and frustrated.
In contrast to green flag leaders, red flag leaders are reluctant to take responsibility if their decisions and actions harm others. Instead, they look for scapegoats. This is then emulated by the people they lead.
Red flag leaders like to take care of trivial things. They don’t trust others, don’t like to delegate tasks and authority. Employees become constrained, unable to express themselves.
Red flag leaders usually dislike change. They try to block change. They are obsessed with the old ways. This hinders the development of employees and the organisation.
Favouritism is often shown by red flag leaders. They favour certain people without objective consideration. This leads to jealousy and lack of cohesion.
Which one are you?
Of course, all leaders want to be seen as green flag leaders. No one wants to be perceived as a red flag leader. Here are some questions to help you assess whether you are the leader your team needs.
Are you good at empathising and have high emotional intelligence? Or do people under you feel comfortable communicating with you? Do you have a vision? If so, do the people under you understand it? If yes, then you have managed to convey it clearly so that they understand.
Next, if something goes wrong, do you evaluate it? If you are at fault, do you honestly admit it? Or are you looking for a scapegoat?
To what extent do you care about developing your team? For example, investing in learning and training? Next, are you willing and able to adjust? Are you resilient? Or do you embrace change and guide your team through challenges with confidence?
Are you willing to listen to every point of view from your team members? Does your tone only care about results without caring about the process and the well-being of your employees?
Perhaps you are not yet the perfect green flag leader. Or do you even have many characteristics of a red flag leader? Of course, we must not despair. Leadership is a journey, not a destination. To make your flag even greener, firstly, don’t hesitate to ask for advice from your team. This way, you can identify things that are already good as well as things that should be improved or eliminated.
Being a leader doesn’t mean you stop learning. On the contrary, you should be a role model for your team. Read a lot, listen to useful podcasts, and attend trainings.
Next, be sensitive to your team’s emotions. Communicate clearly, openly, and transparently. Never underestimate your team. Trust them, provide opportunities for them to grow. Don’t fear change, but manage change.
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