When Great Leaders Go Wrong: Why Derailers Matter
Choosing the right leaders is not just about appointing those who are smart, capable, and driven. It’s about appointing those who can bring others with them- building trust, alignment, and resilience across the organisation.
Because even the most brilliant leader can become your organisation’s biggest liability if their hidden derailers are left unchecked.
I’ve seen it playout firsthand.
The Double-Edged Sword of Genuis
A number of years ago, we worked with a high-growth organisation that had an executive leader many privately described as a “genius, but destructive.” (I’ve paraphrased- the original description used a slightly more colourful second adjective.)
He was seen as critical to the organisation’s strategic growth- sharp, visionary, and relentless in execution.
On paper, he was everything you might hope for. But the reality was very different. Everywhere he went, the path was littered with casualties- he pushed people out of the way, steamrolled decisions, alienated colleagues, and failed to include critical stakeholders.
- Good people left.
- Projects fractured.
- The culture soured.
He had been in role for just eight months, but the destruction would take twice as long to repair.
The hiring process?
- A few senior interviews with the CEO, CPO, and another executive.
- No psychometric profiling.
- No structured assessment of leadership behaviours or risks.
Reflecting on the hiring process, the CPO had a series of, ‘things that didn’t quite sit right’, but nothing concrete to put their finger on, until these derailers played out in reality.
The Cost of Leadership Derailers
Derailers are behaviours that emerge under high challenge or high pressure situation and undermine a leader’s effectiveness, relationships, and reputation.
Some of the most common leadership derailers include:
- Arrogance: An inflated sense of one’s own importance, dismissing others’ input.
- Volatility: Emotional outbursts, inconsistent behaviours that destabilise teams.
- Micromanagement: Controlling every detail, crushing initiative and trust.
- Avoidance: Dodging difficult conversations, decisions, or accountability.
- Manipulation: Political manoeuvring, self-serving behaviours over collective goals.
- Rigidity: Inability to adapt thinking, approaches, or style to new circumstances.
- Passive-aggression: Undermining or resisting in subtle, corrosive ways.
The impact of unchecked derailers can be profound:
- Erosion of trust across teams and peers
- Loss of key talent who won’t tolerate toxic leadership
- Damaged organisational reputation externally and internally
- Strategic execution slowed or derailed due to poor collaboration
- Increased risk exposure to culture, conduct, and even regulatory breaches (especially in financial services)
When a leader derails, it’s rarely just their own career at risk- it’s the whole system around them.
The Solution: Robust Leadership Assessment
The good news is that derailers can be spotted, before appointment, with the right assessment process.
At JAM People Consulting, we conduct leadership assessments led by Chartered Occupational Psychologists that explore:
- Behavioural patterns under normal and stressed conditions
- Potential derailers and risk factors
- Cultural alignment and values-based leadership
- Leadership agility, emotional intelligence, and relational skills
- Strategic capability and future leadership potential
Through a combination of validated psychometric tools (including the Hogan Assessments,) structured behavioural interviews, and expert psychological insight, we provide a clear, evidence-based view of not just how a leader performs, but how they might derail.
This means you can appoint leaders with your eyes wide open supporting their success proactively, or making different choices before risks materialise.
The Benefits of Assessing for Derailers
By integrating robust behavioural and derailer assessment into your leadership selection process, you can:
- De-risk critical leadership appointments
- Protect and strengthen your organisational culture
- Accelerate team cohesion and strategic execution
- Increase Board and stakeholder confidence in leadership decisions
- Retain high-performing teams who thrive under capable, inclusive leadership
When you see the full picture, strengths and risks, you can make leadership appointments that drive not just performance, but sustainable success.
How JAM People Consulting Can Help
At JAM People Consulting, we specialise in executive assessment and leadership development, delivered by Chartered Occupational Psychologists.
Our approach provides you with deep, practical insights into leadership capabilities, potential derailers, and cultural fit- so you can make the right leadership choices, every time.
Whether you’re hiring for a critical role, assessing your talent pipeline, or planning leadership development, we help you appoint leaders who don’t just succeed personally, they create the conditions for others to thrive.
Get in touch today to discuss how we can support your leadership assessment needs.