When a High Performer’s Strengths Become a Liability
They’re a high performer. They deliver. They’re smart, driven and ambitious. So why are they receiving candid feedback in their 360 Reviews?
I recently worked with a leader following a 360 review that highlighted a familiar pattern.
They were highly results-driven, commercially focused and exceptionally committed to getting things done.
But the feedback also revealed some significant blind spots.
Their interpersonal impact wasn’t landing as well as they thought.
They were perceived as micromanaging.
And while they cared deeply about delivering for the organisation, others weren’t consistently experiencing them as warm, approachable or genuinely interested in people.
There was a clear gap between their intention and impact.
Sometimes the strengths that got someone promoted become the things that hold them back.
What Makes High-Performers Successful?
High performers are often promoted because of the very qualities that made them successful:
Drive. Pace. High standards. Ownership. Attention to detail. A relentless focus on outcomes. Knowledge.
But leadership asks for something different.
As responsibility increases, success becomes less about what you can personally get done and more about what you can enable other people to achieve.
The behaviours that created individual success can become counterproductive when they’re overused.
- High standards can become micromanagement.
- Drive can become impatience.
- Knowledge can become superiority.
- Being decisive can become shutting down other perspectives.
- Taking ownership can become not letting go.
A focus on results can unintentionally send the message:
“The outcome matters more than you do.”
Even when that isn’t the leader’s intention.
Coaching Leaders and Their Blind Spots
A coaching partnership can be extremely beneficial to leaders who need a non-judgmental, confidential outlet to explore these blind spots and their impact on others.
The coach can ask questions such as:
- What is driving the need to stay so close to the detail?
- What would happen if you just let go?
- How do your standards affect other people?
- How could you maintain high standards, while creating more autonomy?
- How can you create the conditions for other people to succeed?
We partner with leaders who want to become more effective, confident and impactful.
Executive leadership coaching is a unique opportunity to focus inward on your ambitions and find solutions to your challenges.
Rebecca Allen’s coaching clients often refer to her as ‘warm’, ‘practical’ and ‘strategic’. She is an executive level, evidence-based leadership coach and facilitator with 14 years’ experience, coaching across a wide range of sectors. Her specialisms are in preparing leaders for their next roles and leading through change. She combines strengths-based coaching with cognitive behavioural techniques to help her clients build self-awareness, leadership identity and to step up successfully in their roles.
