Why leaders fail

The following research is based on 1,039 cases collected and reported by the Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC. To summarize:

• Relationship building and cognitive complexity were the top two behavior clusters related to success.
• Technical expertise was the lowest factor related to success.
• By far, the highest factor related to derailment was the failure to build relationships.

Relationship Building
Caring, showing interest, fairness and trustworthy, understanding, displays empathy and vulnerability; seeks feedback
23.8% related to success | 45.3% related to derailment

Cognitive Complexity
Managing ambiguity and paradox, creativity, managing diversity and system complexity; seeks to understand unintended consequences.
23.8% related to success | 10.5% related to derailment

Communication
Supportive, informing, confronting skills, presentations, writing clarity, demonstrates no pre-judgment; collaborative inquiry.
16.4% related to success | 5.2% related to derailment

Decisiveness
Action orientation, command skills, organizing, prioritizing, results orientation.
13.4% related to success | 2.0% related to derailment

Self-Management
Career ambition, courage, adaptability, perseverance, self awareness, time management; perspective taking; discernment; attention-focus; acts on feedback.
16.4% related to success | 26.3% related to derailment

Technical Expertise
Functional skills, specific business acumen
5.9% related to success | 10.5% related to derailment

Permission to use granted by Dr. Roger Pearman of Leadership Performance Systems, Inc.