Webinar Wrap-Up: Coaching Underperforming Leaders to Reach Their Potential
When leaders underperform, the consequences ripple far beyond their individual role. Teams lose motivation, productivity declines, and organizations absorb costly impacts from stalled results or replacement efforts. But underperformance doesn’t have to be the end of the story. With the right insights and interventions, it can become the starting point for lasting growth.
In our recent webinar, Rescuing Potential: Coaching Underperforming Leaders for Lasting Success, MRG President Tricia Naddaff shared the latest research and practical strategies for identifying and coaching leaders at risk of derailing. Here are some highlights:
The Real Cost of Underperforming Leaders
Underperformance affects everyone:
- Leaders themselves, whose professional identity and energy are undermined.
- Teams and peers, who struggle under unclear direction or disengagement.
- Organizations, which face productivity losses, recruiting and training costs, and declining engagement when problems persist too long.
Recognizing and addressing the issue early is critical.
Why Leaders Struggle
Few leaders set out to underperform. Yet common factors contribute to it, including:
- Weak or inconsistent feedback cultures.
- Unclear or shifting expectations.
- Insufficient investment in development.
- Lack of early detection of warning signs.
These gaps make it easy for leaders to drift into less effective patterns without correction.
Four Profiles of Underperforming Leaders
Drawing on a global study of more than 10,000 leaders, MRG identified four common behavioral patterns in the lowest 10% of effectiveness:
- Contained & Cautious – Overly reserved, risk-averse, and disengaged from others.
- Happy Follower – Warm and empathetic, but lacking initiative, strategic thinking, and authority.
- Engaging Lightweight – Charismatic and persuasive, but without depth, discipline, or follow-through.
- My Way or the Highway – Dominant and forceful, dismissing input and empathy in favor of control.
Each profile reflects behaviors that are overused, underused, or both. While these traits may not derail someone in every role, they consistently undermine effectiveness in leadership positions.
Turning Struggles into Success
The encouraging news? Behavior is coachable. By focusing on observable, actionable shifts, such as building strategic thinking, practicing empathy, or strengthening follow-through, coaches and managers can help underperforming leaders rebalance their approach. Assessments like the LEA 360™ provide valuable data to spot blind spots early and measure progress over time.
Tricia reminded us that leadership development isn’t a one-time event. Just as no one stays fit with one week of exercise a year, leaders can’t thrive with occasional training alone. Ongoing, integrated development is essential to prevent underperformance and unlock potential.
Watch the Recording
If you missed the live session, or want to revisit the insights, you can access the recording and slides here.
What about you?
Which of these underperforming profiles have you encountered most often in your coaching or leadership work? Share your experiences in the comments, we’d love to hear your perspective.