Career derailment is a common theme in the modern work place today.  I have coached clients who were seemingly “hot property” one day only to find themselves in the scrap heap the next.  It can leave  one feeling totally confused and unclear about
what exactly happened.

The Centre for Creative Leadership has done a lot of pioneering research in this area and found that managers who derail have the following common characteristics:

• Difficulty in changing or adapting

• Problems with interpersonal relationships

• The failure to build and lead a team

• Failure to meet business objectives

• Having too narrow a functional orientation

In contrast, managers who remained successful shared the following characteristics:

• Greater diversity in their career paths
• Maintained good composure under stress
• Handled mistakes with poise
• Were focused problem-solvers
• Got along with all kinds of people

I have also seen internal factors, which can lead to career de-railment.  For example, staying in a job long after you have outgrown it, ultimately also does more harm than good.  Anger and resentment creep in, frustrations build up and the spirit sags. Naturally these feelings affect your day-to-day behaviour and you will not be doing any justice to your clients or customers, colleagues, organization, your family and friends and YOURSELF.

I believe there are also internal factors which lead to career de-railment:

• Negative internal belief
• High levels of perfectionism and self-criticism
• Arrogance, inflated sense of self and believes only in self
• Exhaustion and burnout
• Losing balance and perspective

Get your copy of  Get your groove back and see how you stack up on the career derailment quiz.