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Bad leadership and its seven types

القيادة السيئة وأنماطها السبعة

In Tareq al-Suwaidan's teaching the bad leader is either weak in competence or bad in ethics and aims; his drivers are fear, greed and desire; and he comes in seven types whose names al-Suwaidan takes from Barbara Kellerman, the incompetent, rigid, intemperate, callous, corrupt, insular and evil, with a model for reducing bad leadership.

Depth

At a glance

Region
Global / Diaspora
Review

Politics, governance and authorityEthics and character

Summary

In Tareq al-Suwaidan's teaching the "bad leader" comes in two kinds: a leader weak in leadership competence, however good his character and religion, and a leader bad in his ethics and aims, however strong; the two can meet in one person. 1 2 3 For the strong bad leader he gives Hitler as an example, and he rejects the view he ascribes to Machiavelli's The Prince, that weakness alone is bad leadership. 4 5 He set this out in episodes 3 and 4 of his programme "Secrets of Prophetic Leadership" as a way into the study of followers, since there is no bad leader without bad followers. 6

The three drivers

Al-Suwaidan says modern studies have confirmed what Abu Hamid al-Ghazali said: that all human emotions go back to three drivers, fear, greed and desire. 7 8 For fear he cites Abdullah ibn Ubayy: when Banu Qaynuqa surrendered to the Prophet ﷺ's judgement after breaking their pact, he pressed for his allies and seized the Prophet's armour at the neck until the Prophet grew angry, and then the Prophet gave them to him. 9 10 For greed he cites the gifts from the spoils of Hunayn: the Prophet gave those whose hearts were to be won a hundred camels each, Abu Sufyan among them, and gave al-Aqra' ibn Habis less, who grew angry, so the Prophet ordered that his tongue be "cut off" with more. 11 12 For desire, the strongest of which in his view is the desire for power, he cites Musaylima, who came with the delegation of Banu Hanifa and made his following conditional on succeeding the Prophet. 13 14

The seven types

He says he took the names of the types of bad leadership from Barbara Kellerman's Bad Leadership, describing her as head of the leadership research centre at Harvard University, and that the measures and examples are his own. 15 16 Each type has three measures:

  • The incompetent: low competence and a strong wish to lead. His example is Ka'b ibn Asad, chief of Banu Qurayza, who could not persuade his people to accept any of the three ways out he offered them during the siege, and told them that he and they had both failed. 17 18 19
  • The rigid: measured by flexibility, creativity and handling of information. His example is al-Aqra' ibn Habis refusing to give back the captives of Hawazin, until his own tribe, Tamim, overruled him. 20 21
  • The intemperate: measured by self-management, bad habits and visible conduct. His example is al-Jadd ibn Qays. 22 23
  • The callous: measured by mercy, selfishness and empathy. His example is Abu Lahab. 24 25
  • The corrupt: measured by theft, lying and cheating. His example is al-As ibn Wa'il. 25 26
  • The insular: cares only for himself and his own followers, generous to them and indifferent to everyone else. His example is Uyayna ibn Hisn. 26 27
  • The evil: measured by atrocities, the infliction of pain and domination. His example is Abu Jahl. 27 28

Why people follow a bad leader

Al-Suwaidan opened episode 4 with two questions: why people follow a bad leader while knowing he is bad, and how bad leadership can be reduced. 29 30 He showed the Milgram experiment, which he describes as carried out in 1961 on volunteers asked to give shocks rising to 450 volts, 65% of whom went on to the end without any compulsion; he concludes that people have a natural readiness to submit to authority. 30 31 He cites the follower of Musaylima who said "the liar of Rabi'a" was dearer to them than a truthful man of Mudar, and calls it tribal partisanship. 32 Other reasons he lists: the followers are bad like him, their interests are tied to him, or he gives them security. 33 Research shows, he says, that getting rid of bad leaders depends on reducing bad followers, and that the worse a leader becomes the more loyal his followers grow, because their interests are bound to him. 34 35 The episode's detailed example is Uyayna ibn Hisn, whom the Prophet called "the obeyed fool". 36

A model for reducing bad leadership

He proposes a model in two parts. Reforming systems: no one holds an office for more than two terms of four to six years each, family firms excepted; a balance of powers; an independent oversight body that does not answer to the leader, for which he gives Kuwait's Audit Bureau as an example; binding shura; and limits on the leader's freedom to dispose of resources. 37 38 39 40 Supporting leaders: complementary aides who make up for what he lacks, an information system, personal balance between spirit, mind, emotion and body, creative advisers able to say "no", and the study of history. 41 42 43 He closes with a saying he attributes to al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf when asked why he did not rule with Umar's justice: that they should first be like Abu Dharr before he could be like Umar; for al-Suwaidan it means that followers make the leader. 44

Connections

Explore the connections

Subject of
Asrar al-Qiyada al-Nabawiyya, Secrets of Prophetic Leadership (television programme)

People and things also explored

The leader's eight roles and training in general leadership· The environment that fosters leadership· Specialised leadership and training in it· The model of leadership upbringing· Followership and the eight kinds of follower· The model for discovering leaders· Leadership and the leader's six roles· Situational leadership

Sources

  1. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:08:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  2. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:08:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  3. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:13:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  4. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:11:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  5. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:12:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  6. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:03:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  7. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:16:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  8. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:16:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  9. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:17:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  10. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:20:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  11. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:22:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  12. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:23:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  13. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:24:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  14. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:26:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  15. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:10:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  16. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:30:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  17. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:30:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  18. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:35:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  19. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:37:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  20. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:39:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  21. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:41:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  22. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:44:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  23. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:45:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  24. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:47:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  25. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:48:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  26. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:49:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  27. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:50:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  28. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 3, at 00:51:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  29. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:02:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  30. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:03:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  31. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:09:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  32. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:12:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  33. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:14:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  34. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:16:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  35. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:16:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  36. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:22:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  37. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:40:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  38. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:41:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  39. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:42:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  40. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:43:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  41. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:44:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  42. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:46:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  43. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:47:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
  44. Assabile archive of Tareq al-Suwaidan's lectures (video) , Asrar Al Qyada Al Nbawya, episode 4, at 00:49:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Bad leadership and its seven types”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/al-qiyada-al-sayyia/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-11-02.

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The leader's eight roles and training in general leadership

Tareq al-Suwaidan's model of training in general leadership: eight roles, direction, example, change, motivation, training, relations, intervention and empowerment, each with two elements, two competencies and a training skill for each; everything else is management, to be delegated.