Field Notes

A leader who extends their authority or influence beyond acceptable limits is said to be “overreaching.” This often happens when a leader makes decisions outside of their purview, takes control over situations or people with whom they have no authority, or takes actions well beyond their expertise. 

Leaders who overreach often alienate their colleagues, leading to conflict and an erosion of credibility and trust. This is a leadership story that rarely ends well. Histories in multiple arenas (government, corporations, military, and non-profits) provide a litany of examples of fallen or compromised organizations as a result.

It is hard to imagine what is really going on that leads leaders to feel compelled to overreach. 

So why do they do it? 

Overreaching is most associated with arrogance and dominance. Leaders who are grossly overconfident and operate from self-interest choose to ignore feedback and cross appropriate lines to achieve the goals important to them. 

This myopic focus on their own agenda allows them to disregard boundaries and pursue their interests despite violating norms and acceptable thresholds. Because they believe the “ends justify the means,” they convince themselves that people will get over their discomfort once they realize the benefits of the leader’s choices. 

Of course, this is seldom the case. The resistance created by overreaching typically undermines the progress leaders must make to prove the correctness of their choices. 

Leaders who are hungry for power, turf, status, and self-aggrandizement are most susceptible to this major flaw. In their crazed pursuit of increased influence, they underestimate how others will react, often pushing away advice of caution from their most trusted advisors. 

While politicians easily come to mind, overreaching can occur at any level of any organization or team, even in families, with the same disastrous result. Preventing it is accomplished when leaders and organizations place constraints and checks and balances ondecision-making and the ability for any one person or leader to exert unbridled control over anything out of the ordinary. 

Keeping an eye out for the signs that a leader is about to overreach isalso important. Look for leaders who control communication, refuse to delegate even minor tasks, deny access to data or information that describes the current state, and refuse feedback or criticism.

These are leaders likely to overreach sometime soon.  

Calling this out before the overreaching occurs is up to courageous team members and colleagues who fully understand the catastrophic consequences that might unfold. They know that leaders who overreach can only do so with the implicit blessing of those who follow. 

This works best when they hold hands together and surround the leader with a common view that going too far is perilous. The more team members who can carry this message in unison, the greater the odds of preventing the overreach. 

Reminding everyone, especially the leader, that the ends don’t justify the means will put leaders on notice to be accountable.

When anyone or any group makes the opposite argument, corruption is about to occur.