Why do some talented executives fail?part 3

3) Doing Too Much, Pushing Too Hard

"As far back as she could remember, Stephanie made extraordinary demands on herself. It wasn't enough that she was an A student from as far back as she could remember, she insisted on extra-credit work as well. She was also class president, a member of the debating team, a devoted gymnast and head of the drama club.

"At first, Stephanie's obsession with taking on more and more responsibility, and working harder than anyone around her, was a source of amusement to her friends. But later in college, and when she entered the world of work, the smiles began to fade." Stephanie had developed what Waldroop and Butler refer to as a "hero" behavior pattern, and by the time she'd reached her mid-20's, virtually no one could stand to be around her.

Waldroop and Butler stress that setting goals and working hard to achieve them is never a bad thing. But, in their view, heroes tend to bite off more than they can chew, and are never satisfied with what they've accomplished.

Heroes, they say, may find a decent fit as a management consultant or some other type of independent contributor, but they will never succeed in a traditional slow-growth company where teamwork is highly valued. This is because heroes never seem to understand that the people who work around and under them sometimes need a rest, and in doing so they often drive people away, which can be deadly for an organization.

That said, of all the Achilles' heels discussed in the book, the hero probably has the greatest potential for enormous career success. The world needs heroes but only those who have learned to slow down once in awhile, and be compassionate and understanding of others. Otherwise, they may find themselves mortally wounded like the original hero Achilles himself, undone by their very acts of heroism.