There’s a saying that resonates more with each year I’ve spent in the workforce:
“You never miss good leadership until you don’t have any at all.”
Early in my career, I believed leadership was tied to authority—someone in charge, directing every move, giving orders, and monitoring output. Leadership had been demonstrated and modeled as a command-and-control style. But that belief was shattered when I joined what would become the best team of my career.
What made it so exceptional? It wasn’t one charismatic figure or a heavy-handed boss—it was a collective spirit of empowered leadership. The leader of that team hired talented people, aligned them around a purpose, and then stepped out of the way. We weren’t micromanaged, we were trusted. Our guiding mantra said it all: “We will never knowingly allow any member of this team to fail.” That principle stuck with me. I’ve carried it into every team I’ve led since. All of my team members also went on to become exceptional leaders as well.
But what happens when leadership—true leadership—is missing? What’s lost when no one takes responsibility for guiding, supporting, or inspiring a team?
First, let’s define leadership not as a title, but as a set of behaviors and responsibilities. Leadership is the act of influencing, aligning, and enabling others to achieve a common goal. It’s not about control or manipulation, it’s about impact. And when that leadership is missing, teams don’t just stall—they suffer. So, what are those behaviors and responsibilities.
Helping Team Members Grow into Their Best Selves
Good leaders don’t just manage to develop. Without leadership that prioritizes growth, team members stagnate. Talented individuals become disengaged, opportunities for development are missed, and high performers often leave. Insecure leaders never look to development their team.
Creating a Culture of Safety and Support
Psychological safety—the belief that you can speak up, make mistakes, or ask for help without punishment—is the foundation of high-performing teams. Without it, collaboration turns into competition, innovation is stifled, and trust erodes.
Holding Teams Accountable and Driving Performance
Leadership ensures accountability—not through fear, but through shared expectations and follow-through. Without it, teams lose focus. Deadlines slip. Standards fall. Mediocrity becomes the norm because no one is responsible for maintaining excellence. When leadership is missing, the person in charge over uses systems to micromanage talent.
Removing Organizational Barriers
A core leadership function is clearing the path, whether that means navigating red tape, securing resources, or advocating across departments. Without this, teams waste time battling bureaucracy instead of solving problems and delivering results.
Setting Strategic Direction and Clarifying Roles
When no one provides vision, teams are left guessing. Priorities shift aimlessly. Duplication of effort and confusion about who owns what slows down progress. Clarity isn’t just helpful, it’s necessary for effectiveness.
Providing Organizational Access
Leaders often act as bridges, connecting their teams to decision-makers, influencers, and broader networks. Poor leader When that access is cut off, teams operate in silos, lack visibility, and miss opportunities to grow their influence or contributions.
So, What Should Organizations Do?
To avoid the high cost of absent leadership, organizations must:
– Invest in leadership development at all levels—not just executives, but supervisor, team leads and high-potential employees.
– Define and measure leadership impact, not just results, or who is the most liked.
– Encourage leadership behaviors, regardless of title—from mentoring to collaboration to decision-making. Help leaders learn how to work at the right level and not slide too deep into their organizations.
– Hold leaders accountable not just for performance, but for the climate they create.
Leadership isn’t a role; it’s a responsibility. And while its absence might not be immediately obvious, its impact—or lack thereof—will echo loudly across teams, outcomes, and culture.
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About Dr. Ollie G. Barnes III
Dr. Ollie G. Barnes III is an organizational performance consultant, keynote speaker, and author of Diagnosing Toxic Leadership: Understanding the Connection Between Personality Disorders and Toxic Leader Behaviors. As the founder of Impact Performance Consultants, he brings over 25 years of experience helping organizations transform workplace culture, improve leadership effectiveness, and build psychologically safe environments. Learn more at ImpactPerformanceConsultants.com