BLINDED BY THE PRIZE
She was a partner at a huge law firm who drove her team crazy. She micromanaged, constantly second-guessing them, rewriting reports that didn’t meet her standards even though they were perfectly fine. She could always find something to criticize, but nothing to praise. Her steadfast focus on the negative demoralized her team — a star member quit and others were looking to move laterally in the firm. Those who, like that too critical lawyer, have this high-achieving, super-focused style are called “pacesetters,” meaning they like to lead by example, setting a fast pace they assume others will imitate. Pacesetters tend to rely on a “command and coerce” leadership strategy where they simply give orders and expect obedience. Leaders who display just the pacesetting or command style — or both — but not any others create a toxic climate, one that dispirits those they lead. Such leaders may get short-term results through personal heroics, like going out and getting a deal themselves, but do so at the expense of building their organizations.
— Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence (Daniel Goleman), Loc. 3030–8