The reason why newly promoted executives fail in their new roles is due to fear, specifically the fear of failure.
Though the stated reason for removing the new executive may be one of a multitude of reasons, such as procrastination, second-guessing themselves, aggressive defiance, poor time management, productivity, change resistance, poor delegation, frustration, defeated attitude, overwhelm, poor results, and siloed behavior, when one digs down into “what went wrong”, we observe a recurring theme. The new executive was not able to remove the obstacles that fear was putting in the path toward success.
Therefore, our focus during executive coaching sessions for new executives is centered on helping them tackle and harness this fear. While the concept itself may seem simple, putting it into practice is complex. However, when executed effectively, it has the potential to transform their lives.
To gain valuable insights on this topic, we highly recommend reading this article by Matt Oess, TechCXO’s Coaching Practice Leader.