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Off the Rails With Enron and the spectacular failures of its senior leadership back on the front pages,
we turn once again to the question of what makes smart people do really stupid things. The literature of leadership is full of theories and even some real research about what makes great leaders great, but the fact remains that fully two-thirds of people currently holding leadership positions will fail. If we know little about what the characteristics of successful leaders are, we seem barely able to recognize what characteristics will do them in.
Often called "derailers," these factors seldom emerge in job interviews or assessments. That's because the most common derailers are behaviors that manifest themselves under stress, as when times are tough in an organization and its environment. When things are going well, it's easy to overlook aspects of a leader's personality that may seem merely irritating or even comically dysfunctional. When they go south, though,
these very same habits of being are magnified and can cause severe lapses in judgment and reckless action. One of the great values of leadership coaching, as opposed to more traditional classroom-based forms of leadership development, is its focus on who the leader is, rather than just on what he does or how he does it. It seems clear from the now-legion tales of fallen corporate executives that being smart (expertise) and being
action-oriented (execution) are not by themselves enough to ensure success. And while it is important for leaders to know themselves well, it is doubly so for them to face their darker side and learn how to be aware of and manage the more negative parts of their personalities. This is an exercise not for the faint of heart, and maybe that's another reason why so many leaders can't, or don't want to, see themselves as completely who they are, warts and all.
Peter Cairo and David Dotlich, authors of a compelling little book titled Why CEOs Fail, have delved into the research and come up with a list of the behaviors that most frequently derail leaders. Here's how they describe them: - Arrogance - you think that you're right, and everyone else is wrong.
- Melodrama - you need to be the center of attraction.
- Volatility- you're subject to mood swings.
- Excessive caution - you're afraid to make decisions.
- Habitual Distrust - you focus on the negatives.
- Aloofness- you're disengaged and disconnected.
- Mischievousness- you believe that rules are made to be broken.
- Eccentricity- you try to be different just for the sake of it.
- Passive Resistance - what you say is not what you really believe.
- Perfectionism - you get the little things right and the big things wrong.
- Eagerness to please - you try to win the popularity contest.
All of us possess some of these behaviors in some measure, but what turns them into derailers is when we are so blind to them that we don't realize that they may have gotten out of control. Learning to see and understand how these behaviors show up in ourselves can help us get a handle on them and choose to adopt different behaviors when the situation calls for that. It's helpful, too, to be able to recognize these
behaviors in others around you, so you can either provide constructive feedback or take action to mitigate the results of unchecked derailers in others. Coaching can support you in recognizing and managing your own potential derailers as a leader in your organization. Call (410)626-6008, or email info@bloomfieldassociates.com to explore your options.
Pick two or three of the potential derailing behaviors from the list above that you think may be present in you. Over the next week, whenever you find yourself in a particularly stressful situation, notice how these behaviors may intensify. Jot down a few notes for yourself. At the end of the week, look for any patterns or trends. How can you tell when one of your derailers is about to kick into action? What do you notice about how others respond to
your behavior? Enlist the help of a friend or trusted colleague to give you feedback when they observe one of your potential derailers emerging. What steps can you take to get yourself back on the right track? |
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A majority of firms -- nearly 70% -- have begun conducting regular employee satisfaction
surveys, though just 32% said they've made workplace changes based on the results, a recent study by Monster.com found. 70% of the women who choose to leave the workforce to raise a family initially feel positive about their decisions; however, when they are ready to return, fully 50% feel discouraged by the reactions they receive from employers, according to a survey conducted last year. Nearly half of 2,586 workers surveyed last year by Yankelovich Monitor felt they are
devoting too much energy to work and too little to "other things in life that really matter". 28% of all workers polled said they would take a pay cut to get more time off. 
Bode, Bode-ed To throw away. Reference to an overhyped, over-exposed Bode Miller who partied his
way through Torino and literally Bode-ed the entire Olympics. (From "Buzzword of the Day, " by BuzzWhack.com.) 
 Confidence, by Rosabeth Moss Kantor . What I like about it: This is a research-based book that explores what separates winners from losers - confidence - and how it can be built in individuals, teams, and organizations. My big takeaway: The dividing line between winning streaks
and losing streaks is the choice of behavior in response to setbacks.
Beth Bloomfield
Executive Coach, Strategy Consultant
Principal, Bloomfield Associates
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"It's not what you are that holds you back, it's what you think you are not."
- Denis Waitley | |
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Beth Bloomfield is completing the certification process for the Hogan Assessments instruments, a suite of individual leadership assessment tools that provide insight regarding how people approach others and their job on a day-to-day basis, assess personal drivers and fit with organizational culture, and identify risk
factors and potential derailers that can impede career success. If you are interested in learning more about how Beth can bring these tools to you and your workplace, please email her at info@bloomfieldassociates.com. | |
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