By JOHNNY CARCIOPPOLO / Community Columnist

Now that you know what qualities it takes to be an effective leader, you need to know the signs of a poor leader. You can find loads of information on what makes a great leader. But have you ever thought about what makes a poor leader? You know, that one you worked for? What about them made them a poor leader?

Here are seven signs that might raise the red flag to someone being a poor leader:

1. Leaders who cannot embrace change are likely to be stuck in a rut. They rule by the same old way.
2. They lack empathy for others. They can’t put themselves in another person’s shoes and see things from a different perspective.
3. The leader who simply orders around won’t create loyalty or make those under their leadership feel empowered. Being bossy is not a sign of a good boss.
4. Being wishy-washy when it comes to making decisions indicates a lack of self-confidence. Those under you will pick up on this quickly and lose confidence in your ability to lead them.
5. Having poor judge of character is a poor leadership trait. If you have a blind spot when it comes to your friends or coworkers and make excuses or can’t see their true character, it gives others the impression of you being unfair and single-minded.
6. A lack of balance between your personal and business life can lead to burnout and signal you may make unreasonable demands on the team.
7. Not having any humility is a sign of a poor leader. Micro-managers who act as if they can do it all or are the only one who can do it right won’t inspire others to follow their lead.

I’m not saying having one of these attributes will automatically make you a poor leader. What I am saying is that you can beat any of these habits and build better skills to be an effective leader. The point is that if you have more than one or two traits on this list, you might not be ready to lead others yet. Work on changing them and improving yourself first.