Why CEO's Fail: The 11 Behaviors That Can Derail Your Climb to the Top and How to Manage Them (Hardcover)

by David L. Dotlich (Author), Peter C. Cairo (Author), PhD, David L. Dotlich (Author), PhD, Peter C. Cairo (Author) "If Othello were CEO of Enron and Oedipus Rex in charge of WorldCom, they might well have made the same mistakes as Jeff Skilling and..." (more)
Key Phrases: overly cautious leader, mischievous leaders, aloof leaders, Have You Crossed the Line (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Take a walk on the dark side of leadership with executive coaches David Dotlich and Peter Cairo. Why CEOs Failsucceeds in tracking the downfall of careers and companies by defining eleven "derailers"--the deeply ingrained personality traits that shape leadership behavior. Among them: melodrama, aloofness, volatility, perfectionism, eccentricity and eagerness to please.

The authors alternate high profile cases (the arrogance of Enron CEO Jeff Skilling, the melodrama of Vivendi Universals’ Jean-Marie Messier, Rick Thoman’s aloofness at Xerox) with compelling case examples from their coaching practice. Each chapter is a gem, illuminating one derailer in concrete and nuanced terms with red warning flags and strategies for damage control. One exceptional chapter explores "mischievousness" in rule breaking leaders including Bill Clinton and Mattel’s Barbie Maven, Jill Barad.

Derailing behaviors can’t be eliminated, the authors warn, because they are the shadow of our strengths. Consider, for example, how charisma can cross the line to melodrama or how decisiveness becomes arrogance. CEOs and leaders-in-waiting must map the stress that triggers derailers and engage in unflinching self-reflection by asking, "What would my worst critics say about my behavior?" Because they counsel leaders to ask these tough and essential questions, Dotlich and Cairo suggest that we approach our leadership failures as research. It’s a brilliant idea. --Barbara Mackoff

From Publishers Weekly
Businesses are often defined by the personalities at the top. Enron's Jeff Skilling and Tyco's Dennis Kozlowski rose through the ranks with their single-minded determination and abrasive styles, but also saw their careers-and companies-fail spectacularly because of those same traits. Management consultants Dotlich and Cairo diagnose the behaviors that can sink even the most talented businesspeople. Whether it's arrogance, aloofness, volatility or any of the other personality flaws they've singled out, the authors encourage CEOs to throttle back on Type A brashness and focus more on team-building that will create a loyal and honest staff. It's an original melange of business smarts and accessible psychology, and the authors' able storytelling brings their diagnoses to life. Unfortunately, after pointing out everything CEOs are doing wrong, they don't spend much time on what they should do instead; a quick wrap-up chapter on successful managing techniques is all that's offered. But as a dissection of the leadership flaws that saw so many executives crash and burn over the last couple of years, this is a book without peer.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (April 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787967637
• ISBN-13: 978-0787967635
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #340,222 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For All Leaders, May 26, 2003

By A Customer

A must-read for all leaders at or on their way to the top. Dotlich and Cairo help the reader to recognize the signs and symptoms of potentially derailing behaviors, and -- most importantly -- show us how to manage them before they derail us completely. The tools provided are simple, direct, and immediately applicable. After over 30 years in the workplace, I've finally found a book that has helped me understand my own behavior and that of my colleagues -- a book that challenges me to ask myself: "Have I crossed the line?"

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for CEOs, April 23, 2003

By A Customer

I read this book in one shot - on the plane to New York. I'm not a CEO, not sure I aspire to be but am definitely on my way up the corporate ladder. I found this book extremely useful in providing tools I can use right away to "check myself" in the face of a high stress situation (which happens to be everyday).
It was a quick read, provided relevant stories I could identify with, and was a little scary how many of derailer traits I could see in myself.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book, and you'll benefit even if you aren't a CEO, October 12, 2003

By	Keith Anderson "KA" (Moss Beach, ca United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Like some other reviewers, I'm not a CEO. I have often thought of starting my own business, though, and was drawn to the title of this book with that in mind. This book is written much better than most business books: it cuts to the chase, gives good examples, and doesn't go on and on about simple concepts as if you were too stupid to get it the first time. It breaks failure down to 11 mentalities that derail CEOs in their rise to (or fall from) the top. This is great advice for ANY manager or executive, and a quick read too. I take much of this advice to heart when I manage others in my current job. A must read!