Senior executives need exceptional drive and interpersonal skills to push themselves and others to succeed... but under pressure, these skills and qualities can go into overdrive.
Through looking into executives’ experiences and descriptions of psychological behaviours based on well-established sources (such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), it is possible to demonstrate how to find stability in the face of uncertainty, resilience in the face of gruelling demand, and psychological stability as a leader.
With the rapid growth and high aspirations in the UAE, organisational leaders can move quickly up their hierarchies, thus creating high expectations and building pressure on themselves to deliver early on in their careers. This amplifies the risk and propensity for leadership derailment.
Anyone working with top executives will be aware of how tough focus can lead to unhelpful behavioural features that strain relationships. Countless tales of doubles and alter egos — such as Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Superman and the Hulk — examine the duality of human nature, the perils of a life without a shadow and the importance of the shadow’s resourcefulness and inspiration.
There are, of course, steps that leaders can take to minimise the risks resulting from the darker side of leadership. One of the most surprising, yet powerful, resource that executives can muster in overcoming their “overdrive” comes from the people they have the most difficulty with. Their most troubling frustrations can become their most helpful resources in moving beyond the patterns of derailment or overdrive.
There are 11 strands of personality that emerge at different times, from the slightly neurotic to the full-blown deranged. These strands help leaders and executive coaches identify when traits are constructive and productive and when they are problematic and counter-productive.
The personality strands identified are based on the assertion that each of us has a personal leadership profile, with its own derailer behaviour. Below are four leadership types and their associated ‘overdrive’ patterns:
* The charming manipulators, whose actions may brush up against the rules and are moulded to their own design. In this leadership style, strict accountability may go out of the window, because their own accountability may be relegated to the “shadow”. Antisocial patterns linked with the charming manipulator — you believe the rules are made to be broken.
* The playful encouragers, whose influence is felt mainly indirectly. In this leadership style, taking full responsibility for one’s actions may be difficult, as their responsibility may be relegated to the “shadow”. Passive-aggressive patterns linked with the playful encourager: what you say is not what you really believe. * Glowing Gatsbies, who influence from the front and bask in their successes. In this leadership style, it may be easier to criticise others but harder to look at oneself in a similar way, as their humility may have been relegated to the “shadow”. Narcissistic patterns linked with the glowing Gatsby: you think that you’re right, and everyone else is wrong.
* Detached diplomats, whose actions remain largely in their own world, disconnected from those around them. In this leadership style it may be hard to keep the organisation’s issues and people into focus, as their ability to reach out may be relegated to the ‘shadow’. Schizoid patterns linked with the detached diplomat: you’re disengaged and disconnected.
Advice for executives includes:
• Keep the process of leading fluid, and be open to upwards feedback from within the organisation.
• Keep leadership practice balanced, and be open to upwards feedback from their own shadows.
• Be as relational as possible by nurturing relationships – leading not in the abstract, but here and in the now with colleagues.
• Engage in active and honest (self-) reflection.
Professor Erik de Haan is Director of the Ashridge Centre for Coaching and Professor of Organisational Development and Coaching at VU University Amsterdam. Rory Hendrikz is Director Ashridge Middle East.
