The Elephant in the Boardroom

“Bad, Sad and Mad” Leaders

Poor leaders are ubiquitous. They take many forms: destructive, twisted, malevolent, compulsive, incompetent, egocentric, psychopathic, vindictive, and more. Such leaders often fail, and when they do, they cost their organizations millions. As they go down, they cripple or even destroy the companies they’re supposed to lead. How do such bad leaders get hired? Why can’t corporate boards, CEOs or senior executives spot these candidates’ destructive tendencies before putting them in positions of power?

The reason is simple: Most leaders who derail possess superlative résumés. Often they are charismatic, confidence-inspiring and impressive people with strong records of success. Some executives with personality disorders move up because of – not in spite of – their problems. As a result, selectors don’t spot their psychological, moral or behavioral problems. Indeed, selectors do not usually seek out negative aspects of a candidate’s personality, much less psychological disorders. Rather, they focus on experience, competencies and accomplishments.

Leaders who derail often exhibit “too much of a good thing” as candidates. Their positive attributes...