5 Traits Weak Leaders Have in Common with Jellyfish

Jellyfish are everywhere. If you have spent time in the water, you have likely had personal experience with them. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, the Indian Ocean to Arctic waters, you just can’t escape them. People who love marine life call them beautiful – until they get stung by one. I call them disgusting and annoying at best, and painful and sometimes even deadly at worst. And unfortunately, some leaders resemble jellyfish in how they lead, or, more accurately, don’t lead. Here are 5 ways some people in leadership positions may sadly resemble a jellyfish more than a leader.

1. Short on structure.

Many jellyfish are 95% water. In other words, they have almost no structure. We have seen more than a few men and women in leadership positions who don’t have much to them. They are unimpressive, lack influence, and are short on substance. In fact, the most common question asked about this type of leader is, “How in the world did they get that position?” I bet you have asked yourself this on more than a few occasions. A jellyfish leader may hold a position of leadership, but they are anything but a leader.

2. Deficient in direction.

Because they lack a brain, jellyfish drift aimlessly at the mercy of the ocean currents. This is more common than it should be among some people in leadership. Metaphorically speaking, when it comes to setting the vision and direction for an organization, a jellyfish leader couldn’t land a plane on a sunny, windless 70-degree day. They may talk about vision and promise to provide positive direction, but at the end of the year, there is little, if anything, to show for it. Like a jellyfish, they just floated with the currents.

3. Produce pain.

While some jellyfish are an irritating nuisance, contact with others can result in intense pain and even death. No jellyfish is known for making those who come in contact with it feel healthier or experience a sense of joy and celebration. This is true of some people in leadership and management roles. Instead of providing positive, productive environments, people often leave interactions feeling irritated, stung, exhausted, and defeated. It would be so much easier if these types of leaders were required to wear a tattoo or a shirt with the image of a jellyfish to give advance warning. But instead, you often learn about them after the sting.

4. Lack intelligence.

Jellyfish come up short when it comes to wisdom and emotion. Why? Because they have no brain and therefore can’t make any decisions, let alone wise decisions. And,  they have zero feelings or emotions. So, when you come out of the ocean scratching like you rolled in poison ivy, the jellyfish are not feeling bad for you. They feel nothing. The same is true for the jellyfish leader. While reading this, I bet it isn’t taking long for a name or three to come to mind. There are far too many people who have advanced in leadership positions but fall far short on discernment and/or emotional intelligence.

5. Limited life span.

While some jellyfish can live for a few years, others only live for a few hours. None of them has a long life expectancy. I have seen some very unqualified leaders survive in their roles far longer than expected (measured in years), and I have watched others flame out or crash within weeks or months. Both are sad and startling to watch. In the former case, I am shocked at how long leadership boards, owners, or supervisors will tolerate poor decisions, weak vision, and damaged trust. But it is equally shocking to see someone fail in a very brief time span – sometimes before they have even set up their office! It usually does not take long for Jellyfish leaders to be discovered for who they really are.

While there are plenty of people in leadership roles who have the traits of a jellyfish, there are also many exceptional leaders running organizations and leading businesses – let’s call them dolphins – who are intelligent, self-aware, and great at solving problems. They lead with vision. They provide positive direction. They care for and connect with their teams. They attract talent. And they build high levels of trust. When organizations settle for a jellyfish, they miss out on the opportunity to add exceptional “dolphin” leaders to their team.

Contact us to learn how our experienced coaches can help you lead more effectively.

Jay Desko is the President & CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.

Recent Posts