MODERN HR & RECRUITMENT
12 ways your candidate
quality is being derailed
By Corrinne Armour
R
ecruiters who recognise
and understand common
leadership derailers, can
access a far greater talent pool for
their clients. Quickly and accurately
developing a sound assessment
1
Staller – analysis
paralysis
Taking too long to take action; perceived as
blockers to progress; missing deadlines or
opportunities.
2
Controller – command
and control
3
Cyclone – bull at a gate
Highly directive; stifling initiative and
innovation.
In a hurry to achieve results; leaving a wake of
destruction and disengagement.
4
Doer – can’t delegate
5
Avoider – conflict averse
6
of each candidate’s strengths and
weaknesses minimises the risk
of making a placement that fails.
Leadership derailers result from
positive intentions (what is happening
on the inside) being expressed in less
Hording work and responsibility to the
detriment of themselves and their team.
Reluctant to face tough conversations and
situations: creating challenging team
dynamics.
Unclear leadership and direction: creating bottle
necks in progress and frustration for others.
14 ModernBusiness
March 2016
7
Know-it-all – closed to
other ideas
8
Guardian – inability to
innovate
9
Micromanager –
management on a leash
10
Reluctant to consider new ideas or input from
others.
Prefers the status quo: reluctant to change,
low focus on innovation.
Excessive supervision: perceived as stifling
and untrusting.
Poker face – showing no
emotion
Non-expressive communication style: direct
verbal communicator; frustrated by inference
and reading between the lines.
11
People burner – poor
people skills
12
Tactician – poor strategic
thinker
Fence-sitter – indecisive
leader
than ideal behaviour (what we see
on the outside). In Developing Direct
Reports: Taking the guesswork out
of leading leaders, my co-authors
and I outline 12 globally recognised
leadership derailers.
Prioritisation of task accomplishment over
people and relationships.
Reactive to daily pressures, buried in the day-
to-day; unable to hold the broader, strategic view.