Steve Jobs never held back when it came to his views on leadership. He believed that the best leaders were those who pushed their teams to grow, evolve, and ultimately achieve more than they thought possible. For him, a leader’s job wasn’t to create a comfortable, easy-going work environment—it was to bring out the best in people, even when it meant pushing them beyond their comfort zones.

In a Fortune interview, Jobs shared a simple yet powerful insight that defined his leadership philosophy:

My job is to not be easy on people. My job is to make them better.

From his perspective, the clearest sign of bad leadership is when a leader fails to elevate those they manage. If employees remain stagnant, uninspired, and unchallenged under someone’s leadership, then that person isn’t truly leading—they’re just occupying a position of authority without adding real value.

The Defining Trait of Bad Leadership

A bad leader can often be identified by their tendency to avoid challenge and confrontation. Instead of setting high expectations and encouraging growth, they settle for mediocrity, prioritizing short-term comfort over long-term success.

They may be more focused on maintaining harmony rather than pushing their team to reach new levels of performance. Over time, this leads to an environment where employees stop striving for excellence, innovation slows down, and the overall quality of work diminishes.

Another hallmark of ineffective leadership is a lack of clear direction. When leaders fail to articulate why their team’s efforts matter, employees often feel like they’re simply going through the motions without a real purpose.

Jobs understood that motivation isn’t just about pushing people harder—it’s about inspiring them with a vision and helping them see the bigger picture. Employees who understand the purpose behind their work are far more likely to engage deeply and perform at their best.

Why Great Leaders Push People to Be Better

Jobs’s approach to leadership was intense, but it was rooted in the belief that people are capable of far more than they realize. He saw it as his responsibility to help his employees unlock that potential, even if it meant being demanding. His leadership style wasn’t about being friendly or well-liked; it was about driving innovation and excellence by expecting more from his team than they thought they could deliver.

However, pushing people to be better isn’t just about applying pressure—it also requires providing the right support. The best leaders don’t just demand results; they also equip their teams with the tools, guidance, and encouragement necessary to meet those high expectations. When employees feel that their leader believes in them and is willing to invest in their growth, they are far more likely to rise to the occasion.

How to Recognize a Bad Leader Instantly

Spotting a bad leader is often as simple as asking one question: Are their employees growing under their leadership? If a team remains stagnant, uninspired, or unclear about their purpose, then the leader isn’t doing their job effectively. Leadership isn’t about holding a title—it’s about making people better, stronger, and more capable than they were before.

Jobs proved that real leadership isn’t about being easy on people—it’s about unlocking their full potential. The best leaders challenge, support, and inspire their teams, ensuring that every person under their guidance walks away better than they were before.

The Fine Line Between Pressure and Burnout

While Jobs’s leadership style produced some of the most groundbreaking innovations in modern history, it wasn’t without its flaws. There’s a fine line between challenging employees to grow and pushing them to the point of exhaustion. When a leader fails to balance high expectations with genuine support, they risk creating an environment of stress and burnout rather than motivation and engagement.

The difference between a great leader and a bad one often comes down to how they apply pressure. Good leaders challenge their teams with purpose and intention, ensuring that every expectation is tied to meaningful growth.

They provide constructive feedback rather than just criticism, and they recognize when to push and when to step back. Bad leaders, on the other hand, either avoid pressure altogether—leading to stagnation—or apply it recklessly, creating a work culture that drains employees rather than inspiring them.