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is exacerbated by the fact that winning teams often mistakenly believe
that different situations in a rapidly changing world are in their reality “no
different from” situations for which they had the success formula in the
past. Interference by a leader from that past reinforces this view and teams
become the prisoners of their own success. As Richard Pascale succinctly
puts it: “Nothing fails like success”.

Charismatic leaders who are consistently successful throw themselves
wholly into everything that they do and intentionally avoid trying to cling
to the past.

Questions for discussion
1. In your experience does interference from an old leader most

frequently stem from insecurity in the new job or love of the old?
2. How often do apparent “personality clashes” in senior management

teams boil down to one executive refusing to let go of an old operation
in which they experienced considerable past success?
3. Does anything need to be done to avoid this happening in your
company?
4. What can be done if action is desirable or necessary?
5. Is there a danger that the successful teams in your organization may
“freeze” into a rut of success and assume that all situations are
“really just like the old”?
6. How can people be convinced that in a rapidly changing world
situations do not repeat themselves exactly and new problems need
creative thinking and new remedies?
7. Should a leader encourage his or her people to “think the
unthinkable”?
8. If so – why?

Choice 3
Refuse the job and complete your present task to such a high standard that
your capabilities and committed would be recognized by all and the firm
would be crazy to block your future progress.

This is what charismatic leaders often do. General Lee who led the South
in the American Civil War preceded the leadership of his beloved South by
turning down an offer of promotion by Lincoln in the Federal Army in
1861. In the southern United States Lee is still seen as a great hero, but
had he accepted the job offered by Lincoln the South might not have gone
to war, or the war might have been over quickly and deaths of thousands
of people and the near total destruction of the economy of the South might
have been avoided. The charismatic leader needs to combine clear under-
standing of the bigger picture to control a personal need for achievement
in areas where he or she cares deeply.

McClelland suggested that one of three overwhelming motives drive
those of us who seek to lead.

96 Key management questions