Why Leaders Fail

One of the ways to learn about Leadership Success is to look very closely at Leadership Failure.  And before we get too far here … I would propose the widest definition of “Leadership” possible here. I am not talking about just the CEO’s on the nightly news … the same holds true for the team leader on the assembly line … or even a parent at home with their family.

Why do Leaders Fail?

• It is NOT because they are not smart enough
• It is NOT because they don’t work hard enough
• It is not because of WHAT they do or do not know

In most cases … it is because of HOW they go about their job

• How they interact with the other people on their team
• How they handle their emotions under pressure
• How they make connections with other people - or don’t

Studies by Goleman and books by Goldsmith and others have long shown that when you find yourself in a Leadership role you are almost always qualified to be there. There is very little difference in qualifications and education and experience from one District Manager to the next. The difference between success and failure lies in their People Skills / Emotional Intelligence.

Leaders fail because they fail to gain the trust and respect of their followers. And trust and respect are not byproducts of the Leader’s Degrees or experience. These are very personal qualities that are closely tied to how the Leader is BEING when they are with the team.

The Latest Stats:

Here’s an article written by Patricia Wheeler, PhD for the blog of the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches that reports on a 2008 study of 150 business executives from 12 different countries looking at “failure” of executives hired from within or outside the company to lead a transition … two years after assuming the new position.

• 1 in 3 Executives hired from outside the Company were judged as failures
• 1 in 5 failed when hired from within

Remember that these people were already successful leaders when they were placed in their new positions. What caused their failure now?

From the study report: 

• Only 15 percent of respondents said leaders within their organization failed due to lack of technical or business skills.
• The highest cause of failure was leadership skill deficits, reported by 68 percent of organizations.
• Another 45 percent of respondents reported failure due to leaders’ poor personal skills, including lack of focus and self-management.

The solution proposed by Dr. Wheeler is a “customized assimilation plan” coordinated by a one-on-one executive coach. Makes sense since the coach can be with the leader during their interactions with the team as a neutral observer of behavior the leader is probably unaware of.

Any intervention that raises the emotional and social awareness of an otherwise well qualified leader will help.

The bottom line is … this is another example of research supporting the observation that Leadership has more to do with HOW you do things and HOW you interact with others than WHAT you know or WHAT degrees/experience you have.

I sure wish I had a coach and my very own  ”customized assimilation plan” to support me as a parent of two teenagers … yikes.