New Water Policy and Practice Issue 4, Number 1, Fall 2017 | Page 20

New Water Policy & Practice Journal
3.3. The Stunted Leader
3.3.1. Description
The stunted leader is missing one or more important ingredients in their mix of
leadership development activities which holds back their development. These
“missing ingredients” may include: their work role/environment (e.g. there is a
lack of opportunities to engage in leadership); a lack of self-awareness; a lack of
work colleagues that they trust; a supervisor who does not want to support their
development (or does not know how to); a propensity to avoid getting feedback
from colleagues and responding positively to that feedback; a tendency to dwell
on problems rather than solutions; and/or a proclivity to avoid taking personal
responsibility for the leadership development process.
Broadly we can categorize these inhibiting factors into two groups—those
that relate to self-leadership (e.g. lack of self-awareness) and those that relate to
their environment (e.g. a lack of trust in their workplace that inhibits leadership
development activities, such as feedback). Stunted leaders who primarily suffer
from a non-supportive work environment usually conclude that they need to
move to a new workplace (e.g. a new role or organisation). The decision to do so
typically follows discussions with a coach and/or mentor, comparing their situa-
tion to other participants in a leadership development program who are working
in a more supportive environment, and reflecting on the results of a 360° feedback
process (see Day 2000). For these leaders, anonymous feedback from their peers is
often a source of motivation to move from their current role.
Stunted leaders whose development is being inhibited by aspects of self-lead-
ership have more difficulty escaping this trap. For example, they may struggle to
overcome a strong propensity to avoid getting feedback from their colleagues.
This may have deep psychological origins, or they may be unaware that they tend
to blame others for leadership setbacks, rather than taking partial responsibility.
These developing leaders usually represent the most challenging coachees the au-
thor works with.

Impacts potentially associated with this leadership development trap
include relatively slow leadership development progress, sustained levels of
mediocre leadership performance, and strained relationships between the leader
and their colleagues (e.g. when they respond poorly to feedback). The stunted
leader can also become a “timid leader” in work environments with little support,
especially if their supervisor does not want to support their development or does not
have the necessary skills. Another impact is that leadership development activities
can become a catalyst for their decision to change roles, which some supervisors
view as an undesirable outcome. The author, however, does not share this view as
such a decision usually benefits the developing leader and their organization in the
longer term.
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