Poor leadership and bad governance : reassessing presidents and prime ministers in North America Europe and Japan In leadership research there is a long tradition of focusing attention on the great and successful leaders and more recently on issues of good governance. This study breaks new ground by looking systematically into the manifestations and causes of poor leadership and bad governance in some of the world’s most powerful democracies. Focusing on the presidents and prime ministers of the G8 – the United States Canada the United Kingdom France Germany Italy Russia and Japan – it explores the complex relationship between weak and ineffective leadership undemocratic leadership techniques and bad policies from a broad comparative perspective. What makes leaders weak or bad in different contexts What are the consequences of their actions and behaviour And has there been any learning from negative experience These questions are at the centre of this fascinating joint inquiry that involves a team of truly distinguished leadership scholars.