Donald Trump, the real estate tycoon, has filed for bankruptcy. Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, resigns as a result of the Watergate crisis. Jennifer Capriati, a promising tennis star, checks herself into a drug recovery facility. Jim Bakker, a well-known televangelist, has been found guilty of fraud.
We've seen prominent figures fall from practically every field in recent years, including business, politics, religion, and sports. They're on top of the heap one day, then the heap is on top of them the next.
Of course, we believe that such a disaster would never happen to us. We've worked hard to earn our well-deserved leadership positions, and we're not about to give them up for anything! The bad news is that the gap between an adored leader and a loathed failure is narrower than we believe.
Ken Maupin, a practicing psychotherapist, and colleague has established his career around dealing with high-performing individuals, such as corporate, religious, and sports leaders. Ken and I have spoken about why leaders fail a lot. Following are the "warning indicators" of approaching failure that has emerged from our conversations.
A CHANGE IN FOCUS IS THE FIRST WARNING SIGN
This transition might happen in a variety of ways. Leaders frequently lose sight of what matters. The laser-like focus that propelled them to the top fades, and they are distracted by the trappings of power, such as riches and fame.
The capacity to "imagine large" is a trait that distinguishes most leaders. When their concentration switches, though, they begin to think in little increments. They micromanage, get caught up in things that should be left to others, and get absorbed in the insignificant and inconsequential. To make matters worse, a predisposition toward perfectionism might accentuate this tendency.
A fixation with "doing" rather than "being" is a more subtle leadership derailer. The quality of a leader's work is frequently a product of who he or she is. The leader's actions are thus driven by his or her own vision and character. It is easy for a leader to become overly action-oriented, losing sight of the more crucial growth of self in the process.
What is your main emphasis at the moment? If you can't write it on the back of your business card, it's safe to assume that your leadership is lacking in clarity. Take the time you need to refocus on what's most important.
Also, do you consider yourself to be expansive or contractive in your thinking? Of course, you should always be eager to go above and beyond to get the work done, but avoid taking on tasks that others can perform better than you. In other words, be sure you're concentrating on leading rather than doing.
WARNING SIGN NUMBER TWO: BAD COMMUNICATION
Poor communication is frequently caused by a loss of attention and resultant confusion. Followers will be unable to comprehend a leader's objective if the leader is unsure of what it is! When leaders are unsure of their own purpose, they typically communicate in a hazy manner to mask their confusion and doubt.
Leaders might sometimes fall prey to the clairvoyance trap. To put it another way, people start to assume that truly dedicated followers can feel their aims and know what they want without being told. Managers interpret miscommunication as a lack of effort (or commitment) on the side of the listener, rather than their own communication failure.
"Say what you mean and mean what you say" is ageless wisdom, but you must first know what you mean! All good communication begins with a clear understanding of the aim. The hard effort of communicating pays off only when you're perfectly clear about what you're trying to say.
WARNING SIGN #3: Aversion to Risk
Third, at-risk leaders are generally motivated by fear of failure rather than a desire to achieve. Past accomplishments put pressure on leaders: "Will I be able to maintain this level of excellence?" "I'm not sure what I'll do for an encore." In fact, the higher a leader's perceived cost of failure is, the longer he or she has been effective.
Leaders who are afraid of failing are unable to take appropriate risks. They simply want to do what they've done before; attempts at innovation, which were usually a key to their original success, fade away and finally vanish.
Which do you value more: the try or the result? Do you continue to take appropriate risks? Prudent leadership never takes risks that may jeopardize what has been accomplished, but it also does not become immobilized by fear. Leadership is frequently a two-step forward, one-step-back dance.
WARNING SIGN NO. 4: Ethical Breach
The credibility of a leader is determined by two factors: what he or she accomplishes (competence) and who he or she is (personality) (character). An inconsistency between these two qualities leads to an issue with integrity.
Integrity is the most important leadership principle. When a leader's integrity is no longer a top concern when a breach of ethics is rationalized as required for the "greater good," when getting outcomes becomes more important than how they are achieved—that is when a leader embarks on the treacherous path to failure.
Such leaders frequently regard their followers as puppets, only a means to a purpose, conflating manipulation with leadership. These leaders have lost touch with empathy. They stop being people "perceivers" and start being people "pleasers," relying on their popularity to make up for their lack of honesty.
It is critical to your leadership that you keep your life and job under continual inspection. Is there a misalignment between your beliefs and your actions? Is it possible that compromise has seeped into your operational toolkit? Asking the individuals you rely on if they ever feel used or taken for granted is one approach to find out.
WARNING SIGN #5: Lack of self-control
Unfortunately, if a leader does not look for himself or herself, no one else will. Nobody will notice indicators of exhaustion and stress unless a leader is fortunate enough to be surrounded by followers who are more sensitive than average. Leaders are frequently portrayed as superhumans with boundless vitality.
Leadership is both energizing and exhausting. Leaders who do not attend to their physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual requirements are doomed. Consider having a gauge for each of these four aspects of your life, and checking it regularly. Make time for refreshment and replenishment when a gauge approaches the "empty" position. Clear your calendar and look after yourself—critical it's to your leadership that you continue to grow and develop, which you can only do when your tanks are full.
SIGN OF WARNING #6: LOST LOVE
A shift away from one's original passion and dream is the final symptom of oncoming calamity that leaders must pay attention to. Surprisingly, the difficult task of leadership should be rewarding and even enjoyable. However, when leaders lose sight of the ideal that motivated them to take on the role of leader, they may find themselves fighting for causes that are uninteresting to them. To keep the fulfillment of leadership, they must cling to what they love, what first drove them.
To make sure that you continue on the course of following your first love, often ask yourself these three questions: Why did I take the lead in the first place? Have the reasons behind this change? Do I still want to be in charge?
Pay Attention to the Signs
From stoplights to medication labels, life's warning signals are there for our benefit. They keep us safe from tragedy, and we'd be crazy to disregard them. Don't be scared to look in the mirror as you explore the six warning indicators of leadership failure. Take action now if any of the warnings are true! The good news is that if you pay attention to these indications and heed their warnings, you may escape disaster and maintain a healthy and rewarding leadership style for both yourself and your followers.
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE, is the president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., a leadership development firm devoted to producing business and life leaders. Mark is a famous author and a well-known authority on leadership, teamwork, customer service, and transformation. "We all know how excellent we've gotten," Mark explains, "but none of us knows how good we can get." Pursuing our potential is one of the most exciting changes we have each day." With this speech, Mark Sanborn pushes his listeners and shares ideas for a remarkable life.
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