The Leadership Paradox: When Top Performers Struggle as Managers

Have you ever wondered what keeps your fellow leaders up at night? We did too. So, we’ve been on a mission, diving deep into conversations with our customers about their biggest headaches in the people and culture realm, their

biggest “pain points”. One burning issue kept bubbling to the surface – a challenge we’ve seen time and time again over the years we’ve been in business. It all boils down to this crucial question:-

What if your strategy of promoting top technical talent is actually undermining your organisation’s performance?

Imagine this scenario: Your most productive department experiences a sudden downturn. Projects are delayed, quality issues arise, and team morale plummets. The culprit? Not external factors, but an internal decision to promote your star technical expert to a leadership role.

This isn’t hypothetical. It’s a hidden drain on productivity and innovation playing out in companies, with significant costs:

• Projects falling behind schedule due to ineffective team management
• Increased employee turnover as team members struggle under unprepared leadership
• Lack of innovation as technical experts grapple with management challenges
• Reduced overall productivity as both new managers and their teams struggle to adapt

Consider these statistics:

• 58% of managers report receiving no management training (Careerbuilder.com)
• Companies choose the wrong candidate for manager positions 82% of the time (Gallup)
• 46% of new managers fail within their first 18 months (Leadership IQ)

Managing people differs vastly from managing processes or technical tasks. Without proper training and support, they may resort to a controlling leadership style, unknowingly fostering a “directive style” of management that erodes team morale and productivity.

The Persistent Problem:

Despite widespread recognition, this issue persists for several reasons:

1. Short-term thinking: Prioritising immediate needs over long-term development
2. Misconception about leadership: Believing leadership skills are innate rather than learnt
3. Budget constraints: Viewing leadership development as a luxury
4. Lack of accountability: No clear ownership of leadership development within organisations
5. Resistance to change: Difficulty altering established promotion practices

As Marshall Goldsmith, influential executive coach, leadership expert, and author, aptly puts it, “What got you here won’t get you there.” This mismatch leads to cascading problems affecting the new manager, the entire team, and ultimately, the organisation’s bottom line.

We’re not suggesting you don’t promote those with technical expertise (although please don’t promote based simply on tenure)…it’s about making sure you support individuals to gain leadership and management skills so that you have leaders who can balance technical acumen with the art of inspiring and guiding teams.

To address the persistent problem, here are 5 key tips:

1. Identify potential leaders early: Use assessments and performance feedback to spot leadership potential among technical teammates.
2. Provide pre-promotion training: Offer future leadership skills training before promotion, allowing potential leaders to develop critical skills whilst still in their current roles.
3. Offer ongoing support: Provide mentoring, coaching, and continued training after promotion to help new leaders navigate challenges.
4. Create a leadership culture: Foster an environment where leadership skills are valued and developed at all levels of the organisation.
5. Encourage daily acts of leadership behaviour from everyone, irrespective of role. Be aware of who is stepping up.

Research supports this approach. A study in the Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology found that leadership training is most effective when it includes goal setting, feedback, and perseverance.

Desired Outcome:

Our experience tells us that when implemented effectively, this solution leads to:

• Smoother transitions: Better-prepared technical experts moving into leadership roles
• Increased employee satisfaction: Less stress and higher job satisfaction for new leaders and their teams
• Improved retention: Decreased employee turnover, preserving valuable knowledge
• Enhanced innovation: Effective leaders harnessing technical expertise whilst fostering creativity
• Better business performance: Improved project outcomes, faster time-to-market, and increased profitability
• Sustainable growth: A pipeline of prepared leaders allowing for effective scaling and adaptation

The impact can be substantial. According to DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast 2018, organisations with the highest quality leadership development programmes are 2.5 times more likely to be financially successful.

Conclusion – Transforming Technical Experts into Visionary Leaders:

The journey from technical expert to effective leader is not a leap, but a bridge that organisations must consciously build and maintain. The cost of neglecting this transition is steep, but the potential rewards of getting it right are even greater.

Remember:

• Leadership is a skill that can be learnt. The myth that great leaders are born, not made, is costing businesses dearly.
• Proactive investment in leadership development is a necessity for sustainable success.
• Skilled technical expertise needn’t be sacrificed for management. With the right support, top performers can evolve into leaders who drive both technical excellence and team success.

Imagine a workplace where technical brilliance is matched by inspirational leadership, where innovation thrives because teams are effectively led, and where your organisation can scale seamlessly due to a pipeline of prepared leaders at every level.

This vision is within reach. From tried and tested experience, we know that implementing these suggested strategies can create an environment where the question isn’t “Who’s the best technician to promote?” but rather “Who’s ready to lead us into the future?”

Don’t let your next promotion be a setback in disguise. Instead, seize the opportunity to turn your technical experts into the visionary leaders your organisation needs to thrive in an ever-evolving business landscape.

Remember, in the world of business, technical skills may spark innovation, but it’s leadership that fans the flames of lasting success.