5 Reasons Why Leaders Sometimes Harm the Organizations They Love

Have you ever heard of factitious disorder (often referred to as Munchausen Syndrome)? One of the characteristics of this mental illness is when a caregiver makes the person under their care become sick. It is interesting how often we see something similar in our consulting with organizations. Over the years, we have seen multiple examples of a leader of an organization, and sometimes even the founder, making the organization sick while claiming to love it and care deeply about it. But why would a leader harm the organization he/she claims to love? Here are 5 reasons.

1. Because they need to be needed.

Few things make a leader feel so valuable as when he can rush in to rescue the team or organization – even if he is the one that caused the problems in the first place. Such “rescues” result in affirmation, and affirmation for this type of leader is just like a drug.

2. Because they believe they are smarter than almost everyone else.

Even when most others see the leader as a primary contributor to the dysfunction and she is confronted about it, she will often not fess up because she believes that she is the smartest one in the room! In other words, “I am right and they are all WRONG!”

3. Because they value their own interests above the organization.

While such a leader may passionately profess that he cares deeply about the organization, he really is only looking out for himself. How do you know? Because he is getting some form of benefit from having the organization suffer pain.

4. Because it diverts attention off of their own shortcomings.

Every “smart” kid learns to do whatever is needed to get the negative attention off of herself! By causing or contributing to the organizational pathology, she can change the optics away from her poor leadership and onto the “real problem.”

5. Because crises create adrenaline, and such adrenaline is fuel for some leaders.

Some leaders live for a good adrenaline rush. And a good conflict, crisis, or problem staff member is just the thing to do it. The leader zeros in on a “problem” employee or department and then ratchets up attention in that direction. This releases adrenaline in his brain which further rewards his bad behavior!

As leaders, none of us lead without a limp. But we must not fall into the harmful and dysfunctional behaviors noted above. If we genuinely believe we are responsible for what has been entrusted to us, we will lead accordingly – putting the interests of others ahead of our own.

If you would like assistance in growing in your leadership, contact us to learn more about our leadership assessment and coaching!

Jay Desko is the CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.