Career Killer No. 1 and How to Avoid It
As a leader, what comes to mind when you hear the term career killer? Lack of integrity? Micromanagement? Ignoring feedback? Inability to take responsibility? Lack of emotional intelligence? Poor communication? Excessive self-centeredness? Perhaps you’ve already seen someone in your circle damage their career through such behaviors. This reveals the real issue: it’s not a lack of technical expertise but rather a leader’s behavior that often acts as the true career killer.
Leaders in so-called sandwich positions face a particular challenge: on one side, they manage their own teams; on the other, they answer to their own superiors. Balancing top-down expectations with the needs of the team is an art in itself and can give rise to damaging patterns of behavior.
Because of or Despite?
Many leaders know that their behavior is not always ideal, yet they continue to repeat harmful patterns. Why? Especially in senior positions, leaders often look back on a successful career and mistakenly believe their behaviors are the reason for their success. In reality, they are often successful despite these negative patterns—and could be even more successful if they let them go.
A Learned Pattern
This mindset often begins in childhood. Children are praised or criticized for certain behaviors, which shapes how they perceive their own success. A student, for instance, may think good grades result from multitasking skills, when in fact the grades come despite that habit—and could be even better with more focus.
The same applies in professional life. A manager known for quick decisions may believe that speed is the key to success. But the truth may be that he succeeds despite impulsive decision-making—because his team is constantly cleaning up and clarifying the details.
No Change Without Self-Reflection
The brain’s reward center plays a major role: when behavior leads to success, there is often little motivation for reflection—until a career stalls and the person wonders why. That is where regular self-reflection becomes essential. Taking time to critically question your own behavior and seeking honest feedback helps clarify whether you succeed because of or despite certain habits.
Clearing the Career Killer from Your Path
Developing an authentic leadership style is the key to overcoming Career Killer No. 1—harmful leadership behaviors. Leadership excellence does not mean imitating other leaders or playing the role of a “perfect” manager. It means becoming an authentic leader who acts in line with personal values, convictions, and beliefs.
There are five core tasks that leaders should consistently pursue:
- Support employee development
- Help teams achieve their goals
- Adapt organizational units to changing conditions
- Develop an inspiring vision for the future
- Create a culture of accountability and open communication
In my book The Phoenix Principle, I outline a practical, on-the-job approach to help leaders gradually develop into excellent, authentic leaders.
Ask yourself:
- Which limiting beliefs must be discarded and replaced with those that enable growth?
- Which useful values can replace those that no longer serve?
- Which positive reference experiences can drive progress and help old, negative ones fade?
When these factors are positively transformed and embedded in daily habits, it becomes possible to firmly anchor a newly developed, authentic leadership style. Leaders who change their behavior for the better not only re-engage employees and customers but also give their careers fresh momentum.
Have you already read The Phoenix Principle? Then I recommend The Hero’s Journey of a Leader – How to Become the Best Version of Yourself as a Leader to deepen your knowledge and continue building leadership excellence.