Ordinarily normal people who become obsessed with creating excellence often become monsters along the way. They treat those who disappoint them harshly and without consideration. Their relentless pursuit of excellence allows them to justify whatever actions they deem necessary to accomplish it with the highest quality.
Given the high standards they demand others to live up to, disappointment and mistreatment become an everyday occurrence. It all starts with a vision of perfection in how they want themselves and others to perform. They define quality at the highest level and set standards to get there. They work incredibly hard to deliver better and better results and insist on improving every day. Unfortunately, their obsession with creating excellence soon turns into a forced march. They convince themselves that everyone must have the same devotion to excellence that they do. Most don’t. Even the team members that do can’t handle the level of intensity and the mood swings that come with the leader’s commitment.
The team becomes a revolving door for talent. From the outside, the passion and dedication can appear alluring to some, but once on the inside, most retreat and quickly find their way to somewhere else.
Leaders obsessed with excellence typically explain away their behavior and hide behind their pursuit of success, claiming that winning requires what they dish out. They even coin expressions to proudly describe what they do:
- “I cultivate an aura of ferocity.”
- “I don’t apologize for projecting a relentless intensity in everything I do.”
- “I deliberately exude an uncompromising drive.”
- “I possess the ruthless ambition everyone else would like to have.”
- “I let my passion and intensity speak for me.”
- “My fierce resolve has no limits.”
Their pride in harsh treatment for the sake of excellence is truly remarkable. When one well-known leader was named by a magazine as the second meanest boss in a city, they complained about not being first.
Such leaders believe success can only occur with the intensity and focus of someone obsessed, and they play the part perfectly.
While this is a common affliction for people with titles like founders, chiefs, commanders, directors, chefs, proprietors, and owners, anyone can nurture an obsession for excellence and turn into a fiend. It isn’t limited to certain enterprises or specific disciplines. Obsessive leaders can be found in schools, non-profits, government service, and start-ups.
The pursuit of excellence is a virtuous endeavor. But when it becomes an obsession, it can turn angels into demons. As the horror author Stephen King likes to say, “Monsters are real. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.” Good people never let them win. Send this Field Note anonymously to someone similarly obsessed with creating excellence.
You’ll be doing them and everyone around them a monstrous favor.
A Daily Dispatch from the Front Lines of Leadership.
