When it comes to leadership, we often focus on what to do. Rarely do we address what not to do. It’s crucial to explore both the positive actions and the potential pitfalls that can undermine leadership effectiveness.
In our Leadership Accelerator Program, the third session is dedicated to character development. In this lesson, participants explore the third chapter of Developing the Leader Within You 2.0, by John Maxwell where he shares a fascinating insight he gained while preparing for a meeting with Pope Francis. During his preparation, Maxwell discovered Pope Francis’s reflections on the challenges leaders face, which the Pope describes as “diseases” that leaders can succumb to.
Pope Francis outlined 15 leadership diseases—behaviors and attitudes that can erode the integrity, effectiveness, and trustworthiness of leaders. These insights serve as an excellent “gut check” for anyone in a leadership role. Whether you’re the service manager or the CEO, these pitfalls—or “diseases”—can manifest and undermine your effectiveness if left unchecked.
1. Feeling Immortal, Immune, or Indispensable
These are the enemy of humility. In dealerships and organizations, it’s easy to believe the organization can’t function without you. While success can make you feel immortal; succession and development of your team are the ultimate goal.
2. Excessive Busyness
Being constantly busy doesn’t always equate to productivity. It most often leads to stress and agitation. When your team senses you are too busy they don’t engage you. You can also appear too busy and important for them.
3. Mental and Emotional Petrification
Leaders who resist change and innovation risk stagnation. Stay curious and open to new ideas, Stay out of the “We have always done it this Way” mindset and listen to your team. If you appear too rigid your team can resist bringing you opportunities.
4. Excessive Planning and Functionalism
Over-planning can paralyze decision-making. In the fast-moving world of heavy equipment sales, parts, and service, leave room for flexibility and adapt to evolving market needs. Don’t try to build systems that prevent human decision-making. Every problem can’t be solved with a process.
5. Poor Coordination
Success relies on seamless coordination between departments. To eliminate silos, foster open communication and collaboration across sales, service, and parts teams. When silos emerge, it’s often a sign that leadership is managing them independently rather than as a unified operation.
6. Leadership Alzheimer’s
Where you forget who developed you and mentored you and take sole credit for your successes. You forgot who helped build your ladder.
7. Rivalry and Vainglory
Internal competition can be toxic. Don’t see your peers as your competitors for the next title or opportunity. Don’t let these become your primary focus; let your leadership and success earn you these opportunities.
8. Existential Schizophrenia
This occurs when leaders operate with conflicting values, saying one thing but doing another—creating a disconnect between their words and actions.
9. Gossiping and Backbiting
Where cowardly leaders speak ill of others behind their backs which fosters mistrust and the knowledge that if you are talking to me with someone, you are likely talking about me with someone as well.
10. Idolizing Superiors
Beware of placing leaders on pedestals, or communicating what they want to hear to gain favor. A leader tells their superiors what they need to hear.
11. Indifference to Others
Where leaders only think of themselves. The I versus we mentality is a trap that you can fall into.
12. Downcast Faces
Don’t treat subordinates like subordinates. Take the approach that they don’t work for you; but you work for them to make them successful and in turn, the success pushes up to you.
13. Hoarding
When you see accumulating material goods to seek security and that becomes your objective.
14. Closed Circles
When leaders place their cliques ahead of shared identity and cooperation. This often occurs in lunch circles and golf events where business is discussed in the closed circle and communicated to the team after the fact.
15. Extravagance and Self-Exhibition
Where your sole purpose is greater power and recognition.
Avoid chasing superficial metrics of success. Concentrate on building lasting relationships and a reputation for integrity in your community.
How to Address These Diseases in Your Dealership
Conduct regular self-reflection: Being aware of these traps is the first step and correcting them in yourself. We all find ourselves in these traps and getting out of them quickly is important.
Encourage team accountability - Give your team permission to hold you accountable if they see you exhibiting one of these diseases.
Build a team that tells you what you need to hear; not what they think you want to hear.
Seek Performance feedback for yourself: We must be willing to receive what we give.
Lead with Purpose: Determine how you will deal with situations so that when they exist you are prepared and can stay away from the diseases.
I find immense inspiration in the teachings and examples of great faith leaders, like Pope Francis. Their experiences and wisdom remind us that leadership is not just about achieving results—it’s about building relationships, serving others with humility, and leading with unwavering integrity. The immense responsibility they carry can serve as a source of strength and guidance for us in our leadership roles. By focusing on these principles, we can shift our perspective and find purpose in the opportunity to impact those we lead positively.
These blind spots don’t just exist in the church—they’re in businesses and teams everywhere and likely lurking inside your dealership.
Embrace the opportunity to cultivate the qualities of a great leader and remain vigilant about the potential threats to your leadership health. In doing so, you can lead with authenticity, purpose, and a profound sense of service.
The next Harvesting Potential Leadership Accelerator program is planned for summer 2025. Join the waitlist to be the first to know when registration opens up. The program is limited to just 8 participants.