Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

As an Emerging Leader in an organization, one of the worst labels you can have hung on you is the title of being “The Next Big Thing”.  The minute you are anointed a “savior’ or “the Smartest Person” in the company you have immediately received a title with a promise you can never fulfill.

This type of thing happens regularly in many companies all over the world.  A new Junior Executive joins the firm.  He may be a few years out of an Ivy League graduate school.  He may have had industry experience.  He may have interviewed well.  The boss likes the new guy.  He mentions to a few people how impressed he is with Mr. Newguy’s pedigree. 

This is the kiss of death for Mr. Newguy.  Why?  Three reasons:

1. Mr.  Newguy will never be able to live up to his advanced billing.  He will always be “on the spot” when he is in front of a group of his peers.  He will always need to prove his intellect.  He will need to provide substance for the accolades.
2. Other executives will be envious of Mr. Newguy’s status in the company.  People always hate the teacher’s pet because they want to be the teacher’s pet.  Envy is even more powerful when you get up higher you on the company organizational chart.
3. Mr Newguy will receive every difficult assignment that comes along.  He will become overwhelmed by the work people will throw at him.  People will think to themselves; “If he’s so smart, let him prove it”.

The best thing a new executive can do when they enter a company is learn the lay of the land. This means that they should gain an understanding for the organizational politics before committing to any voluntary work.  It may take a couple of weeks but that will be time well spent.  Don’t make a big presentation to the CEO in your first few weeks on the job.  In the words of Stephen Covey, “seek first to understand (the company) then to be understood”.

The smartest person in the company, or the next big thing in a company, is usually the first one fired when things go South.  After all, if they really were that good they would have told us that results were tailing off.

Filed under: Executive Suite
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