Working with an insecure boss is very challenging, and most employees have worked with at least one in their career.

It’s no news that most employees quit their jobs due to bad leaders.

Insecure leaders are those that seem to have everything figured out on the outside, but freak out on the inside. They lack confidence and fear making mistakes, yet are quick to blame whoever is in wrong.

How to tell that your boss is insecure

For Ruth Imbabazi, a business manager in Kigali, insecure leaders are complicated to work with as they want to offer the best ideas which is why they don’t want to engage the team or provide feedback for fear of their subordinates offering better ideas and solutions.

She adds that such leaders overwork themselves because they don’t want to delegate tasks to other staff members—they believe that they can perform tasks better or more successfully and productively as compared to their team.

"Insecure leaders fear competition which is why they would hire employees with less potential as they’re of less threat to them. This in the long run affects the company’s progress. These leaders also hardly trust their employees,” she says.

Imbabazi stresses that although no one knows it all which is why seeking help is necessary, however, insecure leaders hate asking for assistance, seeking advice and listening to others’ opinions. They think that seeking help and advice is a sign of weakness yet it actually means strength. ‘It takes bravery to acknowledge that you don’t know something, and accept learning.’

She adds that insecure leaders are also disappointed when potential employees resign, this is because they think it’s as a result of their leadership. Since they don’t inquire about their workers to know what needs to be done to make them comfortable and happy, it’s easy to lose them.’

Imbabazi further explains that insecure leaders take credit for the team’s success as they want to seem important and assure themselves that they add value to the company.

For fear of feedback, hesitation or employees talking back at them, they prefer to command their team, it’s all about ‘do as I say’ as that way, even when in wrong, no one tells them that they’re.

Such leaders are micromanagers, they enjoy controlling and directing their team how they should do things—they don’t entertain opinions of others, which makes them feel safe since they’re assured of not being challenged, she adds.

Diane Isaro, a Human Resource Specialist notes that insecure leaders don’t know how to deal with issues in a timely way, even when they’re liked by the team, they aren’t respected. They also fear accountability to any member of the team.

She however says that such leaders can develop confidence and courage when they learn to acknowledge and address mistakes appropriately but not avoid them.

Isaro adds that insecure leaders should know the cause of their fear or areas that trigger fear and find a solution.

Experts emphasise that leaders should accept humility.

Leadership humility has to do with two abilities, that is, the ability to accurately and comfortably assess and accept your own strengths and weaknesses and, secondly, the willingness to view others from a place of appreciation and valuing.

When it comes to humility, Isaro notes that leaders ought to give and receive genuine feedback, appreciate employees for their efforts and ask for help when they need one.

"Hire coaches or mentors that would guide you with knowledge and information of what you don’t know. Assign your team responsibilities and projects that allow them to shine. Find out how you can best serve their success, and accept the fact that it is okay for you not to be in the spot-light.”