Leaders who don’t suffer fools gladly, as the expression goes, have a difficult time tolerating incompetence or sloppy thinking.
Their impatience with those unprepared, naïve, or lacking in aptitude is often palpable to others. While this reputation has some advantages, it is generally not the compliment leaders secretly think it is.
Those leaders who are proud of this brand believe it tells others that refusing to suffer fools reflects high standards and pushes others to be on top of their game. They believe showing frustration and annoyance with those they perceive as fools creates a climate of high performance where everyone gets themselves ready to contribute.
While they wouldn’t be entirely wrong to think putting others on notice to come prepared keeps people on their toes, the downside of this reputation is much more debilitating than they think.
When leaders treat people dismissively, for the perception of adding too little to the discussion, they create a chilling effect on everyone’s willingness to take conversational risks and express ideas openly. Even the smartest performers will become cautious at times in front of such a leader, especially when they have any doubts about their conclusions. Because everyone fears being judged a “fool,” the normal comfort of sharing ideas becomes constrained.
Judging others harshly through dismissive or biting remarks reduces the trust team members place in the leader. They rightly believe a leader who lets it be known through their actions and comments that they perceive a fool in their midst likely doesn’t care about people’s feelings.
Hence, leaders who don’t suffer fools gladly are often viewed as cold, uncompassionate, and impolite people. The end result is a leader who learns less than they should about what valuable team members really think.
Leaders who are proud of this label don’t typically think through the long-term consequences of this reputation and stand behind their distaste for fools by exclaiming they don’t have time for nonsense or naivety. If they knew how often their dismissiveness undermines the spirit of open discussion, they might think about keeping their distaste to themselves. Impatience with others is rarely a virtue.
Good leaders remind themselves every day that everyone has valuable contributions to make and that the team’s collaborative spirit depends on the leader welcoming all views, no matter how naïve or witless. As it turns out, leaders who don’t suffer fools gladly look profoundly foolish in the eyes of others. So, who suffers the most when leaders are impatient with others?
A Daily Dispatch from the Front Lines of Leadership.
