10 Major Reasons Why So-Called Leaders Fail

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There are 10 major reasons why "so-called" leaders fail: poor organization skills; unwillingness to get their hands dirty; expectations to be paid for what they know instead of what they do with what they know; fear of competition; lack of imagination; selfishness; lack of control; disloyalty; need to emphasise his or her authority as "the boss"; reliance on title to be respected.

This list is taken from the great Napoleon Hill's (see photo) chapter 7 on Organized Planning: The Crystallization of Desire Into Action, Step 6.

I am working through this stuff myself so it helps me to assimilate the principles as I share them.

Delegating work works, provided the one delegating works too. ––Robert Half

If this is your first time with Napoleon Hill, I suggest you start at the... beginning with my first post on Think and Grow Rich – 6 Steps to become rich and prosperous: use desire to slake your thirst for riches.

1. Poor organization skills:  Efficient leaders organize and master details. No leader is ever "too busy" to take action, change his or her plans or respond to an emergency.  When a person is "too busy" or wants his "life back" – as BP's CEO recently stated during the ongoing crisis with the murderous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico –  he admits his inefficiency.  Successful leaders master the details of their positions and to enable them to do so, delegation to capable staff is essential.
2. Unwillingness to get their hands dirty:  Leaders are willing when necessary to get down in the trenches with their troops. He or she must be willing to perform any task asked of their staff.
3. Expecting to be paid for what they "know" instead of what they DO with what they know:  People are not paid for what they "know". They are paid for what they do or induce others to do.  
4. Fear of competition from subordinates:  The leader who fears that one of his subordinates may take his job will realize this fear sooner or later. That is the law of attraction at work.  Delegating authority to able subordinates is the only way a boss can manage his or her multiple daily tasks.  It is an eternal truth that men receive more pay for their ability to get others to perform than they could possibly earn by their own efforts.  An efficient and charismatic leader greatly increases the efficiency of others and induces them to render more and better service than they could without his or her presence. 
5. Lack of imagination:  Lack of imagination and the inability to think outside the box does not a leader make. Consequently, he or she is incapable of handling emergencies and creating viable plans.
6. Selfishness:  The self-styled leader who hogs all the credit for himself or herself creates resentment and bad feelings.  A really great leader claims no honours. He or she is content to see awards go to subordinates, secure in the knowledge that they will work more for commendation and recognition than they will for money alone. 
7. Poor control impulses:  Staff do not respect an intemperate leader. Lack of control in any area of life and in its various forms destroys the endurance and vitality of all who indulge in it, be it too much sex, drinking, eating, partying, etc.
8. Disloyalty:  This should head the list. Disloyalty is one of the major causes of failure – in every walk of life.  A leader who is not loyal to his trust, his associates, and those above and below him will not remain a leader for very long. Disloyalty marks one as being less than the dust of the earth, and it brings down on one's head the contempt he or she deserves!
9. Need to emphasise "authority":  Encouragement is much more efficient tool than trying to instill fear of reprisals in one's staff. Any boss who tries to impress others with his "authority" is leading by force: he is autocratic.  Real leaders have no desire to advertise "who is boss" except by their conduct – sympathy, understanding, fairness and demonstrating the fact that they know their jobs by doing it.
10. Reliance on title:  Competent leaders do not rely on titles to gain the respect of their staff. The man or woman who makes "much ado" of his or her title does not have anything else to offer.  Real leaders have an open door policy and their offices are free from ostentation or formality.

These points are the main causes of failure in leadership. Any one of these faults is enough to bring down a leader.  Study this list carefully if you intend to become a leader in your chosen field, and make sure that you are free of these faults.  

The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it. ––Theodore Roosevelt