Derailers
What is it?
As a coach I routinely use talent and behavioral assessments to identify strengths, motivations, behavioral style, character and also derailment risks. With all clients, I pay particular attention to behaviors and habits that can cause derailment. Behaviors that the leader can be conscious or unconscious of. It’s typically a topic that is not top of mind, yet self awareness and honesty can be a very valuable reality check and lead to clarity in how leaders may derail in the near and long term. Of course, we want to change behavior and remove the potential risk of derailment.
Leadership derailment occurs when previously successful leaders fail to meet expectations in higher roles or suddenly experience career-limiting failures. These patterns often emerge when strengths become overplayed or when underlying behavioral risks surface under pressure. Research suggests that up to 50% of senior leaders derail at some point in their careers, making this a critical area for leadership development.
Common Derailment Patterns: The most frequent derailment behaviors include difficulty adapting to change, poor relationship management, and failure to build effective teams. Leaders often derail when they continue using behaviors that brought past success but are ineffective at higher levels. Overconfidence, inability to listen, and resistance to feedback frequently precede derailment events.
Warning Signs and Triggers: Early indicators include increasing interpersonal conflicts, resistance to change, inability to build cohesive teams, and declining business results. Stress, organizational change, or increased complexity often trigger derailment behaviors. The gap between self-perception and others' views typically widens before derailment occurs.
Impact and Consequences: Derailment affects both organizations and individuals profoundly. Organizations face disrupted operations, decreased morale, and significant replacement costs. Leaders experience career setbacks, damaged reputations, and personal stress. Studies indicate the cost of senior leader derailment can reach 20 times the leader's salary.
How might you develop it?
Prevention and Intervention: Successful derailment prevention requires regular feedback, executive coaching, and deliberate self-awareness practices. Leaders must actively seek diverse perspectives, maintain learning agility, and regularly reassess their leadership approach. Organizations should implement early warning systems and provide development support during transitions.
Self-Management Strategies: Leaders can prevent derailment by developing emotional intelligence, maintaining strong networks, and creating personal board of advisors. Regular reflection, stress management, and willingness to acknowledge mistakes are crucial. Successful leaders actively seek challenging feedback and make visible changes based on input.
Organization's Role: Organizations must create environments where leaders can safely acknowledge challenges and seek help. This includes implementing robust succession planning, transition support, and leadership development programs. Regular assessment of leadership behaviors and clear feedback mechanisms help identify risks early.
Future Considerations: As leadership becomes increasingly complex with remote work, global teams, and rapid change, new derailment patterns are emerging. Digital transformation and changing workforce expectations create additional pressure points for traditional leadership approaches.
Comprehensive Reference List:
Essential Books:
"Why CEOs Fail" by David L. Dotlich and Peter C. Cairo
"The Right and Wrong Stuff: How Brilliant Careers Are Made and Unmade" by Carter Cast
"Leadership BS: Fixing Workplaces and Careers One Truth at a Time" by Jeffrey Pfeffer
"Your Career Game: How Game Theory Can Help You Achieve Your Professional Goals" by Nathan Bennett
"The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership Powered Company" by Ram Charan
Notable Podcasts:
"Coaching for Leaders" with Dave Stachowiak (episodes on leadership challenges)
"HBR IdeaCast" (leadership derailment episodes)
"Center for Creative Leadership" podcast series on leadership risks
"Executive Evolution" with Subir Chowdhury (episodes on leadership pitfalls)