Our Operations Director is a high-achieving workaholic who works through weekends and expects their managers to do the same, causing high turnover in middle management. How do we get this leader to realize that their hero work ethic is actually destroying the department?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Your Operations Director is suffering from hero syndrome. They believe that working extreme hours is a badge of honor, but in reality, it is a sign of poor management and a failure to delegate and elevate. By expecting their managers to match their unsustainable pace, they are burning out your bench strength and creating a toxic work environment. This is a leadership capacity issue. You must address this during their quarterly review. Frame the feedback around our core values and the health of the organization. Show them the turnover data and explain that their job is to build a healthy, sustainable system, not to act as a martyr. Review their seat on the Accountability Chart and point out that training, coaching, and retaining a strong team of managers is a core accountability of their role. Set a specific Rock for them to document their key processes and delegate at least two major operational responsibilities to their direct reports. Hold them accountable to leaving the office on time and not sending weekend emails. If they cannot shift from a hero mentality to a true leader mentality, they will limit your company's ability to scale.