Ineffective Leaders—What to Do

Source: Partner Insights

The following includes excerpts from the article cited below, by August Aquila:

An ineffective leader can be more than just ineffective. The individual can be the death of the firm. The primary activities of an effective leader are to drive the firm’s strategic agenda, to set goals, assign responsibilities and help the partners grow professionally and personally. If a leader does not do these things, nothing else may matter.

I can tell you from first-hand experience that more firms suffer from some sort of weak and ineffective leadership than strong and effective leadership.

How to spot a poor leader:

Poor leaders have several traits in common. They usually have a low level of self-esteem. And while they may appear to be confident, they lack faith in themselves. They are often bullies.

Here are some common traits that I have observed in these leaders:

• Exaggerate their achievements and talents.
• Are preoccupied with power.
• Believes the other partners just don’t measure up to him.
• Thinks he is worth more than the rest of the partners.
• Lacks trust in others.
• Takes advantage of others to achieve his goals.
• Needs to control people and situations or avoids decision-making and confrontation.

Take the bull by the horns.

Partner action can range from helping the managing partner to become more effective, actually asking the managing partner to step down, to imploding the firm.

Here is what to do:

• Get the managing partner to acknowledge that his leadership skills are lacking. Have specific examples so that you can talk about actions and results (or lack of results), rather than the person.
• Help the managing partner to become more effective perhaps with an outside coach.
• Be fair and respectful. Your staff will judge you on your actions. It’s better for everyone if the current managing partner can save face and retire or step down with grace, rather than to retire with a burning ship behind.

For the complete article, click here.

August Aquila helps CPA firm leaders develop and implement succession, compensation, strategic and merger plans. Reach him at 952-930-1295 or [email protected]. 

From Partner Insights, Aquila Global Advisors, Minnetonka, MN, January 13, 2009, www.aquilaadvisors.com.