Poor leaders fail to communicate their decisions to others. They fail to explain crucial points with others and are astonished when they are misunderstood. They believe that others share their viewpoint. They don't solicit input and are disdainful of it when they do. Finally, they don't follow themselves. A poor leader cannot motivate his or her team because they don't take responsibility for the group's success. They don't establish clear expectations or provide support when things get difficult. They're never afraid to make a decision but lack the courage to follow through on it. Finally, they waste time dealing with problems that shouldn't have been allowed to arise in the first place. Good leaders know how to communicate effectively with others. They understand that people need to be involved in any major decision. They seek input from those on their team and use it to improve their leadership skills. They take responsibility for their actions and are not afraid to admit when they are wrong. Last, but not least, they follow through on problems instead of ignoring them. Bad leaders often come across as confident, even if they aren't. They may seem like they know what they are doing, even though you could tell by their results that this isn't true at all. Good leaders always appear to be making decisions, even when they aren't. They are able to handle stressful situations without losing their cool. Bad leaders often make poor choices under pressure.