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A Company’s Slow Death: “Leaders” Threatened by Performance
Much has been written in recent years
about corporate leadership – who America’s
most successful leaders are, the principles
under which they operate, how to emulate
and cultivate new leaders, and so forth.
With the struggle on to maintain and grow
sales and profits, I raise a personal concern
that paradoxically centers around those in
leadership positions who are threatened
by stellar performers committed to the
organization's success.
As a business owner who has worked
with many companies attempting to
perform against a large variety of
objectives, I have seen it and you have seen
it. Undoubtedly everyone in American
business has at some time looked at a given
corporation’s leadership team and
wondered how a particular vice president
or president has reached that lofty position
lacking vision, conviction, interpersonal
skills, and countless other essential
leadership skills and behavioral traits.
More often than not, this leadership
dilemma is caused and perpetrated by a
deep sense of insecurity and a resulting
need to create an illusion of competency.
The tragedy in organizations plagued
by this form of “leadership” is that the
careers and livelihoods of employees are
directly dependent upon their leaders’
competency. I regard this situation as
criminal – literally – because in every
sense of the word these leaders are
stealing precious time, talent, energy, and
emotion from their organizations –
resources that if properly cultivated
would ensure individual and
organizational success.
Companies rarely fail because they
lack skill and talent in functional roles.
But if leadership team members don’t,
through their example, work together,
challenge themselves to improve,
surround themselves with those who
have the potential to out-perform them –
and inspire others through the constant
application of well-communicated values
and philosophies – the company is prone
to failure regardless of its size or prior
successes. Corporate leaders are charged
with serious personal responsibilities that
include financial, social, and moral
obligations associated with their business
enterprises. The job is not about them;
it’s about those they serve. And that
group includes customers, suppliers, and
most importantly, employees.