20 Habits of Highly Unsuccessful and Ineffective Leaders: What Your Team Hates about You--But Would Never Say to Your Face, Until Now

We've all had that boss. The one who talks over people in meetings. Or micromanages every decision. Or praises performance only when it reflects well on them. The boss who kills momentum, drains morale, and leaves their best people quietly updating their r廥um廥.

But what if that boss... is you?

20 Habits of Highly Unsuccessful and Ineffective Leaders is not your typical leadership book. It's not about vision statements, strategic models, or motivational quotes. It's about the blind spots--those everyday behaviors that smart, capable leaders fall into that quietly erode trust, frustrate teams, and limit long-term results.

From global leadership expert Gordon Tredgold, this book is a field guide to what not to do--based on decades of real-world experience, hard-earned lessons, and a viral article that resonated with millions of readers around the world.

Whether you're a seasoned executive, a new manager, or someone who was just "gifted" this book by your team (take the hint), this is your chance to take an honest look in the mirror.

Inside, you'll learn:

The 20 most common toxic leadership habits--what they look like, why they happen, and how to fix them

How one bad habit can undo the good you're trying to build

What to do when the leader with these habits isn't you--but your boss

Why well-meaning behaviors like "speed," "urgency," or "high standards" sometimes backfire

How to ask for feedback in a way that actually gets you the truth

You'll also get the now-infamous Checklist of Leadership Habits Your Team Wishes You'd Look At, designed to help teams safely call out bad leadership behaviors--without risking their jobs. (It's been called everything from "brilliantly direct" to "the most passive-aggressive gift I've ever given.")

"My boss scored 19 out of 20. Could you send him a copy?"
--Anon

This book isn't here to shame leaders--it's here to save them. Because many bad habits aren't born from arrogance or ego; they come from good intentions gone sideways. From pressure. From blind spots. From modeling bad examples.

Gordon Tredgold has worked with teams across 30+ countries, coached thousands of leaders, and made more than a few of these mistakes himself. His no-fluff approach to leadership has been featured in Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, and translated into 23 languages. He knows what leadership failure looks like--and how to turn it around.

If you're serious about becoming a better leader--or helping someone else become one--this book is your starting point. It's honest. It's practical. It's funny in places. And it just might save your team, your culture, and your credibility.

Because in leadership, what you don't see can hurt you.

And your team probably already sees it.