6 Reasons Why Leaders Fail

1. They lose sight of what's important

Leaders are usually distinguished by their ability to "think big". But when their focus shifts, hey suddenly start thinking small. They micro manage, they get caught up in details better left to others, and they become consumed with the trivial and unimportant. The good work of leadership is usually a result of who the leader is. What the leader does flows naturally from inner vision and character. It is possible for the leader to become too action oriented and, in the process, lose touch with the more important development of self.

2. They fail to communicate effectively

A lack of focus and its resulting disorientation typically lead to poor communication. They begin to believe that truly committed followers automatically sense their goals and know what they want without being told. Misunderstanding is seen by such managers as a lack of effort on the listener's part rather than their own communication negligence.

3. They become driven by fear of failure.

When driven by the fear of failure, leaders are unable to take reasonable risks. They want to do only the tried and proven. Attempts at innovation that typically characterised their initial success, diminish and eventually disappear.

4. They lose their credibility

The highest principle of leadership is integrity. A leader's credibility is the result of two aspects, what they do and who they are, a discrepancy between these two aspects creates an integrity problem. When integrity ceases to be a leader's top priority, when achieving results becomes more important than the means to their achievements, that is the moment when a leader steps onto the slippery slope to failure.

5. They have poor self management

While leadership is invigorating, it is also tiring. Leaders who fail to take care of their physical, mental, social, spiritual, family and emotional needs are headed for disaster. It is absolutely vital that leaders continue to grow and develop in all areas of their life.

6. They lose sight of their vision

The hard work of leadership should be fulfilling and even fun. But when leaders lose sight of the vision that compelled them to accept the responsibility of leadership, they can find themselves working for causes that mean little to them. They must stick to what they love, what motivated them in the first place, to maintain leadership fulfilment.

Lets start LEADING