Are You Emulating the Wrong Leader at Work?

Results aren’t everything. Emerging leaders should carefully consider if they are emulating the wrong leader at work.

Leaders and Executives rise through the ranks of companies because of their ability to get things done.

They deliver results. They bring in the sales. They hit the numbers. They complete the merger. They know the business inside and out.

And within that group, there is often a subset of Executives who, while technically strong and deeply knowledgeable about the business, don’t necessarily exemplify some of the other leadership attributes the company wants.

Some are known for lower retention rates in their departments, more relationship friction than most, and teams where few people actually want to work.

They may take a “my way or the highway” approach. If people can’t hack it, they are shown the door.

Isn’t that just the way things are sometimes?

Yes, but there is something important for up-and-coming leaders and high-potentials to pay attention to.

The Trap of Emulating “Tough” High-Performing Executives

Be careful about completely emulating the leader who excels in the business but has also developed a reputation for being “tough.”

Being a tough leader, in itself, isn’t necessarily the problem.

The challenge comes when that toughness moves toward an extreme, and particularly when others begin treating that leadership style as the guidebook for how leadership is done.

As an HR leader or CEO, this is likely not what you want your emerging leaders to do.

What others may not see is that, many times, the company is retaining that Executive because of their results, while cringing when yet another promising employee resigns or someone asks to transfer to another department.

Results vs. Relational Style: What Companies Actually Want

The company may be making a calculated decision between keeping a high-performing Executive because of the results they produce and managing the downstream impact of how they lead.

An emerging leader who starts emulating that same relational style may not be given the same latitude.

In fact, it can become a one-way street out.

But how do you know?

From where you sit, you may see a popular Executive who wins awards, gets recognized, and is the person everyone turns to when the business is in a bind.

And there are, of course, many Executives who are highly successful AND fantastic with people. They develop others, collaborate well, deliver results, and are people others genuinely want to work for and with.

This isn’t about not learning from the tough Executive.

Chances are, there is plenty to learn from them.

It is about being open to learning from a variety of leadership styles and behaviors rather than deciding that one successful leader represents the model you should follow.

Broaden your view and consider if you are emulating the wrong leader.

Are You Emulating the Wrong Leader at Work?

Work through the following exercise to determine if you are emulating the wrong leader. Think about your own company and consider:

• Who is being asked to run the new company initiative?
• Which leaders do people love working for, and with?
• Who is taking a more prominent role at the company conference this year or leading the offsite?

Then,

• What do you notice about their leadership styles?
• How do they move projects forward?
• How do they treat their employees? Their colleagues?
• Does your company have a written leadership profile or defined leadership behaviors?
• If you assess a particular leader against that profile, where do they excel and where do they fall short?
• Is there a difference between what the company says it wants from its leaders and what this person actually demonstrates?
• Where are you strong, and where could you grow?

Learn from each interaction and from different kinds of leaders rather than committing yourself too quickly to one approach.

Otherwise, you may find yourself emulating the wrong leader and the behaviors that appear effective on the surface but don’t align with the kind of leadership culture the company is actually trying to build.

Leadership attributes and behaviors often come up during succession planning, hiring, talent reviews and promotion decisions.

Don’t discount them as words written for a company manual or website.

If you are emulating the wrong leader and the leadership behaviors that don’t align with the culture your company wants to develop, it may work against you when opportunities for advancement come along.

Your company may already be managing the impact of one highly effective but difficult leader.

They may not be looking to promote a carbon copy.

How Executive Coaching Helps You Build an Authentic Style

If this sounds familiar in your organization, Executive Coaching can provide your up-and-coming leaders with the space to develop their own leadership style, learn from what they are observing around them, and have a thought partner as they build their influence and effectiveness within the organization.

It may also be an opportunity for Peer or Team Coaching, bringing a collective and more scalable focus to building leadership capacity and strengthening the behaviors that help move the whole organization forward and prevent younger or newer employees from emulating the wrong leader.

To learn more about how we support organizations through Executive, Peer and Team Coaching, schedule a discussion here.