When negative unintended consequences occur as the result of mistakes, errors, ignorance, lack of expertise, flawed communication, and inability to lead. The unintended consequences can have a minor or major impact on the organization being led, the public being served, and the surrounding internal and external environment. In some situations, the failures can lead to death and have a long-term catastrophic impact. Richards and Engle (1986) offer the following definition of leadership “Leadership is about articulating visions, embodying values, and creating the environment within which things can be accomplished” (p. 206). This definition is useful for examining failures because failure is frequently associated with leaders who have not mastered communication skills, especially in conveying mission, vision, and goals, incongruent or conflicting values between leader and followers, and turbulence and conflict in….
