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Diagnosing & Addressing Leader Derailment - The Role of the Executive Coach, by Chris Wacyk
Much has been written about leadership and the characteristics of effective leaders over the last 40 years. Less attention has been given to studying the characteristics of those who fail. One of the exceptions to this has been the research conducted by psychologists at the Centre for Creative Leadership (CCL) in San Diego, US. Their research, conducted over the last 30 years internationally, indicates that ‘failure to make the grade’ as a leader can usually be attributed to problems in one of five ‘derailment factors’, as CCL calls them. The data demonstrate that leaders who derail have difficulties in one or more of the following five areas:
- Interpersonal relationships
- Hiring, building and leading a team
- Failing to meet business objectives
- Willingness to accept and adapt to change
- Developing a broad functional orientation, having a clear overview of the business as opposed to narrow technical focus.
This 5-factor model can be useful in working with executives to assess and improve understanding of their strengths and development areas.
It is important to use objective information in each of these areas to make a robust assessment. Such information can be obtained from a variety of sources, such as performance history, 360° feedback, interview information, executive development centres and psychometric inventories and ability tests.
However, in my experience the CCL model in itself does not suffice to provide a full picture of why leaders ‘derail’. Failure does not occur in a vacuum. Organisational information is also necessary to understand the ‘context’ of failure and give important insights as to how the leader concerned can start making change. The following areas provide sources of information for an analysis of the organisational context in which the leader is expected to be effective.
- Type of industry. Although individual companies have their own distinctive cultures, it is also true that industries have overarching cultures that show common characteristics. Failure to understand and adapt to the prevailing culture can have a negative impact on leadership effectiveness.
- Market pressures. The following areas need to be analysed to inform the leader’s decisions in relation to pressures in the external environment: changing customer demands, new technologies, pricing pressures, emerging markets and competitors’ strengths and weaknesses with respect to the leader’s organisation.
- Recent history of the organisation. This will have a substantial impact on the leader’s choice of action. Key issues for consideration are: recent results, frequency of re-organisations, history of mergers and acquisitions, political in-fighting among exe- cutives, ownership (foreign or locally owned?) and degree of autonomy devolved to local managers.
- Organisational and Cultural Issues. This area may encompass such elements as organisational structure, role - focus and results orientation and authority, target and goal setting, key customers, stakeholders in the role, personal and organisational networks, the degree of intercultural (national) involvement the individual has.
The role of the Leadership Coach
An experienced Leadership Coach can make a strong contribution to addressing derailment issues as they occur and preventing them in the first place.
‘Personal ‘Stock Take’. Using the knowledge gained through 360° measures and psychometrics, and combining these with the organisational information, the Leadership Coach can work with the executive to identify and understand the core personal issues that are likely to affect leadership performance and which have the potential to ‘derail’ the leader in the specific organisation.
Strategic Organisational Issues. The Leadership Coach should also function as a ‘process consultant’; in particular, by facilitating the leader in diagnosing both the behavioural and the strategic organisational issues that are shaping his/her ability to be effective as a leader. The Coach can also act as a sounding board for generating solutions to address the major challenges.
Operational Framework. The Coach can also provide the leader with an operational framework for thinking about leadership and business issues with regard to the day-to-day running of the company. These insights can also assist them to recognise and deal with leadership derailment in others.
Personal Development Plan. It is important to include the leader’s personal development in the overall process. In particular, support should be provided for the leader in formulating and taking responsibility for undertaking the activities in a Personal Development Plan.
Emotional Support. Lastly, it is critical to provide the emotional support and encouragement necessary to deal with the some of the tough decisions and actions which need to be taken to enable the leader to ‘re-focus’ on success.