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Feeling like a good leader could mean the exact opposite

How can you spot a bad leader before they have the chance to wreak havoc?

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Fortunately, there's one tell-tale sign: Terrible leaders tend to boast of their leadership prowess.

TED speaker and "Leaders Eat Last" and "Together is Better" author Simon Sinek recently told Business Insider that the worst leaders often think they're the best ones, and vice versa.

simon sinek
Author and speaker Simon Sinek.
TED

If and when you think you're a great leader, you likely feel that you have nothing left to learn and may stop trying to improve — and this, in turn, makes you a terrible leader since leadership is a lifelong learning process.

"The best leaders have a sense of humility," Sinek said. "The best leaders tend to think, 'I could do better.' They're students of leadership. They're always trying."

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If you're not sure how your skills as a leader stack up, make sure to practice self-awareness. Sinek advises leaders or aspiring leaders to ask themselves questions, critically assess their weaknesses, and read anything and everything that has to do with leadership.

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