Employees generally agree that leaders with a passion for excellence, quality and accomplishment benefit their organizations. These qualities place leaders at the top of their fields. No one faults managers who give their all and make sacrifices, but too much of a good thing can also pose problems. Perfectionistic leaders may be as damaging as…
Are you building a strong culture? Some companies prosper and draw the business world’s attention. They continuously grow, innovate and impress. In contrast, others struggle, never breaking through to reach their desired success. The latter must deal with downsizing, financial shortfalls, market-share losses and tarnished reputations. The disparities are glaring. While leaders of prosperous companies…
What steps do you take in conquering drift? When this topic comes up with my coaching clients, we discuss the importance of an honest evaluation. You see, drifting leaders rarely have an accurate picture of what’s happening to (or inside) them, so the highest priority is a proper assessment by a trusted colleague, mentor or,…
It’s true: all leaders experience drift at some point in their career. But drifting from one’s appointed responsibilities has consequences for leaders, their people and the organization. I know; as a coach, I often see the damages first hand. Leadership drift’s most immediate effects hit the operations level. Leaders who lose track of their purpose…
All leaders experience drift at some point in their careers—even the greatest, most knowledgeable and experienced executives. How does this happen? Why do even the best leaders drift? Troubling life events can profoundly affect one’s behavior, mindset or motivation, notes Brigette Tasha Hyacinth, MBA, in Purpose Driven Leadership: Building and Fostering Effective Teams (independently published,…
Are you experiencing leadership drift? I wrote about this in my last post. As the word implies, “drift” is a loss of direction or purposefulness. I often encounter this in my work as a coach. Of course, any pattern of behavior that reduces leaders’ impact or influence is cause for concern. Leaders who have forgotten…
Business is an active, demanding endeavor. Only those who consistently apply themselves succeed. Organizations that thrive require leaders who actively dream, plan, engage, solve, pursue and network. It’s a lot of work, and there is no finish line. But no one can keep up the pace indefinitely. Every leader experiences profound peaks and valleys, seasons…
Are you working for a perfectionistic leader? Here’s a tip: submissiveness is not the answer. And as much as you’d like to, resist the urge to express resentment, defiance or disrespect. Rebelliousness goads perfectionists into reacting, worsening your relationship and causing irreparable damage. Instead, demonstrate your commitment to excellence by telling your boss that you,…
Perfectionism’s negative tendencies outweigh the positives when taken to extremes. As a coach, I see first-hand how working for a perfectionistic leader can be unbearable when they: Are generally inflexible and loath to entertain other ideas Become self-righteous when they’ve determined their analysis is thorough and needs no improvement Hover over employees, attempting to ensure…
Leaders who strive for excellence can lay strong foundations for their organizations. They: Aim for the highest standards, through ethical conduct and honorable motives Are dedicated to the organization’s mission, with support and intentionality Exude reliability, honesty, integrity, diligence and perseverance Honor organizational policies, rules and practices with the structure they provide Are detail-oriented, with…
As a leader, how do you pursue excellence? How do you differentiate between excellence and perfection? Does it matter? Perfectionistic leaders develop the skills to blend reason, logic, emotion and insight. They rely on these tools to affirm their sense of purpose—a strategy that helps them solve and avoid problems, while providing them motivation…