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Exploring The Dark Side: When Firm Leaders Overuse Their Strengths
In my article Malignant Leadership, I talked about the merits of psychological evaluations and about how “increasing stress, work overload, fatigue, high emotion, and lack of social vigilance can increase the probability of malignant leadership.” I referenced a useful psychometric instrument, developed by Hogan Assessments, that can “detect leaders who are likely to derail.” What is most intriguing, I said, was how leaders can exhibit a “Dark Side that is simply the result of them using their strengths to an extreme.”
For some time now, we have all been strongly encouraged to focus on developing our strengths rather than gravitating to working on weaknesses. Conventional wisdom in leadership and the late Peter Drucker constantly advised executives to build on their strengths. This seemingly straightforward advice is complicated by Drucker’s own observation that, “Most people think they know what they are good at . . . and they are usually wrong.”
Ironically, the line between a strength and weakness isn’t always clear. Consider: if, as a leader, I am a really good speaker, when I want to influence my partners, what am I most likely to do? Attempt to speak passionately, go on at length, perhaps even turn up the volume. What might I forget to do? Listen. Since, in the moment, I cannot do both, when I lean on my speaking capability too much, especially in an unfamiliar situation, at the wrong times, or when I am particularly anxious, it may actually transform that strength into a crippling weakness.
There is now significant evidence to show all leaders, whether at a firm or practice group level, are susceptible to overusing their strengths. Your natural desire to be forceful and forthright can, under pressure, become perceived to be abusive and authoritative. Your operating preference to always seek consensus can drift into periods of protracted indecision. The desire to dramatically improve performance and the firm’s profitability can incite a preoccupation for short-term expediency.

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