It’s been a busy but fruitful couple of weeks. This weekend, while taking in a beautiful sunset at Retreat Ranch, I started to recall a repetitive conversation I’ve encountered many times with senior executives during my executive coaching sessions. It was the constant worry of the boss of bosses that the leaders they pay to lead their companies could be hindering progress in the workplace. After all, failing leaders with too much influence and power is a recipe for disaster in the workplace. This concern ran gamut of leaders, from prolific fortune 500 executives to the more boutique operated business owners to even a few terrible midline leaders. But the concern about leading a failed leader or an entire pack of failed leaders spread across the region, nation and globe is a relevant challenge. Let me put on my cowboy hat and let’s venture into this wild wild west of failing leadership.
Recognizing the Signs of Failing Leadership
Here’s a simple checklist to help you identify if you’ve got a problem on your hand. Ask yourself these questions, if the answer is yes, do not stop at go, head straight to the nearest station; you’ve got a problem to fix.
- Do you have a leader, or leaders, that are constantly creating obstacles in your path?
- Do they create chaos and friction among teams or among other leaders?
- At the end of the day you have that persistent gut feeling that this person causes you more pain than value (more often than not)?
If any or all of the answers to these questions were a yes, then you’ve got a problem to fix. Here’s the thing,
“Great leaders, at all levels, should make their own leader’s life, and the team as a whole, better.”
Let’s tilt that cowboy hat and keep pressing on.
Fixing Failed Leadership with Your Team
Over the years, I’ve come up with a 1-2-3 strategy to help leaders of leaders resolve challenges with failing leaders. They are:
- Tell them (simple enough right?)
- Show them (this is where it gets more hands on)
- Move them (you know my motto, hire fast, fire faster!)
I did quite an in-depth blog about applying these strategies a few years back, you can check it out.
Tell Them How They’re Failing as a Leader and Colleague
As a leader of leaders, I’m sure you’ve had quite a few uncomfortable conversations with employees. I know, it never gets easier but it’s still a necessity. Here’s what you can do:
- Arrange a one-on-one meeting with the offending leader(s) and let your concerns be clear and succinct. There can be no room for misunderstanding here, so be prepared to highlight real examples where their behaviour has negatively affected the business.
- Reassure them that this is only an exercise to improve their leadership capacity and not to unfairly target them. You can remind them here that we’re all humans, so learning to improve is all part of everyone’s journey.
- Reiterate accountability, let them know that the standards you’ve outlined are to be held by all leaders in the middle. Be crystal clear about expectations and potential consequences moving forward.
Show Them How They Can Become Better Leaders
- You know I’m alllllll about leading by example. Remember, even when you’re on top, your job is still to coach down, board room executives or floor supervisors alike.
- Focus on the actions, convictions and execution through your own efforts, or if necessary others. Your ultimate goal is to be direct and compassionate when explaining how you expect them to lead.
Move or Move on from Failing Leaders
- If after you’ve invested the time, effort, resources and manpower (personally or by a savvy executive coach *wink*) and there’s still no change, warnings will need to become actions. This is really the hallmark of true accountability, else it’s just an empty threat.
- We must move people up or out. Most failing leaders aren’t necessarily bad colleagues, but they can be a terrible fit for their role, position or company. If that’s the case, you need to let them go so they can grow and flourish elsewhere.
Fixing Failure by Facing Challenges
Let me come right out and say it, being a leader is HARD! It does not matter your level in the organization, it is a weighed responsibility. In my book, Serve Up, Coach Down, I reiterate that it is the job of your employee to serve up to you, this includes the leaders you lead. A bosses’ team needs to run as smoothly as possible for success to follow. As a coach, you cannot expect your employees to follow poorly written game plans by terrible assistant coaches, right? The leaders you lead should only make you and your team better.
I’ve done a lot of traveling for work and with family but let me tell you, the views at Marble Falls never ceases to take my breath away. Come sit with me by the fireside and admire the sunset. At Retreat Ranch, you’ll have the perfect opportunity to connect, grow and thrive.
