Why Leaders Fail

by

Mark Sanborn

Presentation by
Jeremy Gray
Iesha Gray
Cindy Faust

A Leader ability to inspire

and
stimulate others to
achieve goals
(Dubrin, 2010)

Leadership is Complex

Figurehead
Spokesperson
Negotiator
Coach and Motivator
Team Builder
Team Player
Technical Problem Solver
Entrepreneur
Strategic Planner (Dubrin, 2010)

Why become a Leader

Power and prestige

Help others grow
Income
Respect and status
Advancement
Being in
Control (Dubrin, 2010)

Why not become a Leader

Uncompensated overtime
Headaches
Facing a perform or perish attitude
Not enough authority
Loneliness
People problems
Organizational politics
Conflicting goals
Perception of being unethical (Dubrin,
2010)

Warning Signs:
1
2
3
4
5
6

A Shift in Focus
Poor Communication
Risk Aversion
Ethics Slip
Poor Self Management
Lost Love (Sanborn, n.d.)

Leader=
Shapes rather than respond to ideas and change how
people think about whats desirable and possible (Grout
& Fisher, 2011, p. 11).
Seeks risk when opportunities seem to be promising
Communicates directly and by appealing to human
emotions
A moral and ethical compass (Yammarino, 2013)
Provides vision and direction
Sets the mission, goals, and objectives
A model of integrity and character (Cloud, 2006)

Leadership=
Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do
something you want done because he wants to do it.
Dwight D. Eisenhower,(Grout & Fisher, 2011, p. 9)
A series of acts by persons which influence other persons
in a shared direction
Creating a way for people to contribute to making
something extraordinary happen
A process (not a position) that involves leaders, followers,
and situations (Goethals, 2004)
Involves individuals, groups, and organizations
Leadership is not something that is added to individuals,
groups, or organizations; rather, it is drawn from those
various entities

Shift in Focus=
Shift = change, move, alter
Focus = center, direct, vision
Clarify a set of ideals, articulate a sense
of purpose, provide direction to be
pursued, and highlight the uniqueness
of an organization (Bersona, Shamir,
Avolio, Popper, 2001)

Poor Communication=
Poor = inferior, inadequate, deficient
Communication = statement,
interaction, contact
What you do speaks so loudly I do not
hear what you say Ralph Waldo
Emerson (Grout & Fisher, 2011, p. 110)
A leader should never underestimate the
impact their words and actions have on
the people around them

Risk Aversion=
Risk = chance, gamble, possibility
Aversion = dislike, avoid, evade
Refers to a preference for stable (as
opposed to variable) outcomes
(Kulasa, Komaib, Grossman, 2013)
A strong precursor to organizational
decline

Ethics Slip=
Ethics = principles, morals, values
Slip = blunder, mistake, error
Ethical leaders engage in acts and behaviors
that benefit others, and at the same time,
they refrain from behaviors that can cause
any harm to others (Tichy, 2003)
Ethical leaders incorporate moral principles
in their beliefs, values, and behaviors (Yukl,
Mahsud, Hassan, & Prussia, 2013)

Poor Self Management=

Poor = inferior, inadequate, deficient
Self = person, identity, character
Management = organization, administration
How someone takes responsibility for all
aspects of their job above and beyond the mere
execution of the production and content related
responsibilities (Markham & Markham, 1995)
The ability to control ones emotions (Dubrin,
2010)

Lost Love=
Lost = misplaced, confused, gone
Love = adore, devoted, passion
Motivation to lead, enjoying opportunities,
valuable to their organization (Yammarino,
2013)
We are truly doing what we have become
in our character (Cloud, 2006, p. 275)