20/08/2026
Bad leadership is often treated as something organisations can afford to ignore.
It rarely makes it to the top of the priority list.
It is not always the conversation being had in boardrooms.
It may not appear as a clear line item on a financial report.
We ask:
Does it reduce our annual profit?
Does it damage our visibility?
Does it stop clients from coming through the door?
Does it shut down operations?
On the surface, the answer may look like no.
But that is either poor maths or poor forecasting
Because bad leadership is never truly silent.
Look at the absence rates.
Look at the grievances.
Look at the turnover.
Look at the productivity gaps.
Look at the disengagement.
Look at the best people slowly withdrawing, then eventually walking away.
Add it all up.
The cost is there.
It shows up in sick leave.
It shows up in low morale.
It shows up in missed targets.
It shows up in poor collaboration.
It shows up in reputational damage.
It shows up in the emotional exhaustion of people who are simply trying to do their jobs under poor leadership.
Too often, organisations focus on managing the workers who are reacting to bad leadership, instead of addressing the bad leadership itself.
They question the employee’s resilience.
They monitor the employee’s output.
They investigate the employee’s absence.
They challenge the employee’s attitude.
But rarely do they stop and ask:
What kind of leadership is creating this environment?
Bad leadership does not just affect people.
It affects productivity, profit, growth, culture, retention and visibility.
And if the damage continues for long enough, the organisation pays for it twice.
First, through the people it loses.
Then, through the trust it may never fully recover.
The real question is not whether bad leadership is costing the business.
The real question is whether the business is brave enough to count the cost properly.
Maybe instead of managing around bad leadership, organisations need to make a different decision.
Maybe it is time to remove the leadership that is damaging the people, the culture and the future of the business.
Because bad leadership is not a personality issue.
It is a business risk.
PS; I think I'm getting better at photography 😊
