Organizations often label effective leaders as problems when they create friction. Instead of fixing the root cause, companies blame behavior. Anna, a high-tech executive, got told she had a blind spot because she moved too fast. She said, "She makes decisions before the rest of us are ready."
When a leader creates friction, organizations default to a single explanation: the leader needs to change. In reality, that friction usually comes from one or a combination of four different sources -- capability, perception, identity, or system. Because those look similar on the surface, organizations tend to categorize them under one bucket, behavior and make high-stakes decisions based on that assumption. The cost is not just ineffective development. It is flawed promotion decisions, stalled succession pipelines, and the quiet loss of high-impact leaders who are labeled as "difficult" when they are, in fact, misread
A high-tech executive I coached, Anna*, was told she had a "blind spot" just a year into her role. Her CEO admired her decisiveness, respected her clarity, and valued her confidence. At the same time, he began receiving complaints, which he relayed to Anna quickly. A pattern was clear: "She moves too fast." "She makes decisions before the rest of us are ready." "We're always in catch-up mode."Anna took the feedback seriously, she adjusted her