Derailment: How Successful Leaders Avoid It

It is no wonder that one of every two managers is ineffective. Many display behaviors in certain
problem areas, including problems with interpersonal relationships, difficulty leading a team,
difficulty changing or adapting, failure to meet business objectives, and too narrow a functional
orientation. If a manager is displaying behaviors in these problem areas, does that mean that he or
she is doomed to derailment and ultimate failure? In some cases, yes.

Research shows that there are some personality characteristics or profiles that are linked to
ineffective managers, managers who show derailment signs, or failed managers. Because
personality is usually set by adulthood, the likelihood of a manager's changing his personality is
rather small at best, and, therefore, some managers may be more likely to derail because of their
personalities. This is all the more troubling because a personality trait - such as narcissism - that has
been viewed as a negative trait for leaders to possess, has been found to be linked to leaders that
emerge from leaderless groups. In essence, personality traits such as narcissism may help people
emerge as leaders, but could just as easily lead to their ultimate downfall.

Unlike personality, behaviors can change, assuming certain conditions are met. For example, the
signs of derailment need to be discovered early. The behaviors that managers need to change must
also be clear. In addition, the manager must be focused and motivated to make the changes, and
must have support from the organization or a development professional. Ultimately, if given
enough time, managers showing derailment behaviors can get off the track toward derailment and
on a track toward a successful career. What follows is distilled from a host of recent research that
has attempted to look into the predictors of derailment to help inform the field and give advice and
strategies for managers seeking to avoid derailment.

One practical piece of advice for leaders trying to avoid derailment is to enhance their self-
awareness.

Leaders must not only understand whether they see themselves the way others see them, but also
understand their strengths and weaknesses and become aware of their work and life circumstances.
For instance, many derailed leaders were unaware that they did not fit in well - with the demands of
their jobs, their bosses and their managing or leading styles, the people around them, or the
directions of their organizations - until it was too late. Managers should also take the time to
become aware of situations that could trigger derailment, such as work overload, major life or
career transitions, or boredom. Managers can increase their self-awareness and get off the track
toward derailment by

 reflecting on life-shaping moments

 using executive coaches
 using mentors
 taking personality tests
 journaling.

Another way to enhance self-awareness is through feedback. Leaders don't always know whether
they display derailment behaviors. As recent research has shown, leaders are not in alignment with
how others view their derailment tendencies. This is especially true for managers at the highest
managerial levels, who often are out of touch with how they are perceived by others, are more
arrogant, or may surround themselves with those who are less willing to give truthful,
straightforward feedback. In short, managers continually believe they are less likely to show
derailment signs than their peers, those who report directly to them, and bosses believe.
To avoid derailment, Michael M. Lombardo and Robert W. Eichinger in Preventing Derailment:
What to Do Before It's Too Late, state that managers must openly receive honest, constructive
developmental feedback. By using this feedback from various sources internal and external to the
organization, both formally and informally, managers can avoid derailment by developing new
strengths, focusing less on the technical matters that got them promoted early in their careers and
more on leadership roles that will get them promoted later in their careers, being less controlling of
their work and of others and more accepting of ambiguity (which is apparent at higher levels of
organizations), being less promotion-oriented and more oriented toward problem solving, being
less emotionally volatile and more emotionally stable and composed, and becoming more aware of
their interpersonal impact on others.

Another important piece of advice is to have a mindset of learning and to be willing to improve. A
2009 study of 173 U.S. college and university administrators showed that administrators who
understood their strengths and weaknesses and were willing to improve were less likely to display
derailment behaviors. Willingness to improve comes with being open to learning new things and
having a learning orientation. Managers must try to develop new strengths, learn from their
management experiences, handle mistakes and failures by admitting them and learning from them,
and become active learners by avoiding past habits to be better equipped to make transitions and
deal with novel, challenging situations.

Managers also need to foster relationships and get support from others to lessen others' perceptions
that they are displaying behavioral indicators of derailment or to avoid derailment completely.
Managers who felt more support from their supervisors and co-workers were less likely to show
derailment signs. Another 2008 study found that positive relationships can lessen the perception of
derailment behaviors. Specifically, it found that working effectively with members of upper
management and having a good relationship with them helped the managers treat those who
reported directly to them in a warm and caring manner, putting them at ease. Ultimately, this led to
managers' being seen as less likely to show derailment behaviors.

In essence, when managers effectively work with the management team above them and give
support to those below them, there are lessened perceptions of derailment behaviors. Therefore,
managers need to try and improve their relationship with members of upper management. They
need to meet regularly with upper management and become comfortable and confident around
them. They need to get to know those in upper management on a personal level and network with
them. Managers need to discover how those in top management think and behave, and attempt and
practice influence tactics (that is, managing up) with them. Leaders must also treat their
subordinates well, put them at ease, help them, and support them.

Leaders who adopt or enhance certain managerial skills can also be seen as less likely to show
derailment signs. For instance, leaders who were more successful at exemplifying the skill of
participative management (that is, using effective listening skills and communication to involve
others, build a consensus, and influence others in decision making) were rated by their bosses as
more successful and less likely to display the characteristics and behaviors associated with
derailment. To avoid derailment, managers should therefore try to improve their communication
skills, foster collaboration, learn how to build a consensus, and give voice to others in the decision-
making process. Also, leaders who are more politically skilled are seen as less likely to show
derailment signs. To avoid derailment, leaders should enhance their political skill by building
networks, becoming perceptive observers and discerners of people and situations, practicing
influence skills, and acting with true sincerity.

Finally, leaders who are less likely to show derailment signs have a good balance between work
and life. Recent research has shown that leaders rated higher in work-life balance were seen as less
likely to show derailment behaviors than leaders rated lower in work-life balance. This might lend
evidence toward the fact that organizations may consider a manager's perception of work-life
balance when discussing and planning for career-related decisions and opportunities. Further, it
gives credence to the foundation of programs implemented to help managers balance their work
and nonwork responsibilities and activities, and thus the results of this research should encourage
organizations to help managers lead more balanced lives.

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