There has been a lot of work in leadership theory on the relationship between leaders who can drive results and others who place a higher priority on relationships.  This conversation usually occurs along the lines of character and competency.  My executive coaching experience drives character to the top of the list as the most significant problem and as this excellent Forbes post points out the negative impact can be fatal:

“A fatal flaw is a significant weakness that goes beyond merely diminishing a leader’s effectiveness. A person with a fatal flaw was never among the most effective leaders in the organization.  Weaknesses can be overlooked.  Fatal flaws form such a strong negative impression, they cannot be ignored.”

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