Preventing Derailment: What To Do Before It's Too Late

Derailment: The Organizational Face

Managers often derail themselves. In addition, they need to look over their shoulders since organizations derail them as well with the following formal or de facto “developmental” processes and beliefs:

1.  Defining development largely as educational experiences and job rotations when this is only 8% of what executives mention (Lindsey et al., 1987).

2.  Moving people so fast they never really finish a job. Like one executive said, “I’ve always had time to fix it but not to have my mistakes catch up with me. I imagine someday they will.” Conversely, some organizations move people so slowly that they master the job and begin to get very bored. (See Gabarro, 1987, for a discussion of time in job.)

3.  Considering ...