Why Do Some Managers Fail?

Several years ago, the cover of Fortune Magazine featured a headline that read "Why CEOs Fail", linking to an article by Senior Editor Geoff Colvin and Dr. Ram Charan. One of the points the authors documented in their research was that CEOs (or any managers, really) fail more often due to poor execution than planning.

As I watched all the buzz surrounding the change of management at Blackberry maker Research in Motion (RIM), I recalled the Fortune article. On one BNN clip I saw, the analyst/journalist who was speaking said that he didn't believe the newly minted CEO, Thorsten Heins, was capable of bringing about and implementing the necessary changes at RIM. This analyst asked, "Have you met this guy? He doesn't come across with an energy that would inspire any confidence in investors or end-users."

His point was that the new CEO's style came across as flat and uninspiring, which made one suspect that his strategy (which isn't new) would be as well.

The mention of Heins' style was interesting. As certified professional behavioral analysts, we are frequently called in to consultations with leaders and teams to better understand and harness the diversity of behavioral styles found in the workplace. It is important to recognize that, whether in media interviews or political debates, a leader's style comes across to his or her audience and creates an emotional response. Judgements, much like the one expressed by the analyst mentioned above, will be made based on the presentation of material, not just the content. You've likely seen the research before, indicating that in communication, we receive much more information through how something is said vs. what is said.

Likewise, when mangers work at achieving strategic plans by interacting with their direct reports, the use of a coaching style that is congruent with the style of the person being coached will result in much higher levels of engagement. For example, if you notice an employee's style (even without the use of a psychometric instrument) is extroverted, fast-paced, and energetic - don't speak in a monotone, or speak too slowly. Avoid long silences (something that can be challenging if your natural style is that of a methodical engineer who thinks things through thoroughly before responding).

Obviously, if your employee is the opposite - detailed, analytical, more introverted and speaking at a slower pace - don't rush them. Give him or her time to think and answer while you're conversing, don't interrupt, and allow for some silent pauses - while still maintaining eye-contact (challenging if you are a highly-energetic, fast-paced, caffeine-driven manager).

When they give no thought to the behavioral style of their communications, managers may end up unintentionally contributing to the disengagement of their own team members – a trend which, when continued, can lead to serious performance and talent retention issues.

As I like to say, organizations don't get results – people do. So take care in the implementation process. When coaching staff, be aware of and harness their emotional responses by employing your own behavioral flexibility. Managers who practice this skill when coaching will be judged much more favourably than RIM CEO Heins was by the critical analyst, and will certainly inspire superior engagement to be harnessed as they implement their ongoing strategic plans.