Unfortunately, those qualities which take a person to the top arent necessarily those which guarantee success once he or she gets there. Heres a job description of the kind of person whom we do not want in a lead position:

1. An executive who craves, and sometimes achieves, star power. She is hungry for power and status, and greedy for compensation, but only hopeful for corporate improvement before she moves on. She chooses her key managers mainly on how they relate to her. Political infighting is more important than getting the job done. Performance promises are made which cannot be kept.

2. A CEO who concentrates on achieving near-term objectives at the risk of compromising future success. Costs are reduced in areas which could hurt the company later but which positions him as an efficient, expense-minded manager now. He is unwilling to take an immediate hit in order to achieve long-term goals because his compensation is tied to short-term performance.

3. An executive whose cultivated image is wrongly equated to superior performance. Because he is well regarded by entertainers, politicians and the media, he forgets to leave his ego at the corporate door. He does not under-stand that many soft-spoken managers perform well without basking in the lime-light, and that shunning publicity is not a bad trait.

4. A leader who hasnt been in one place long enough to suffer the consequences of his own actions. He comes across as a miracle worker who can improve short-term profits quickly.

5. A CEO whom power can corrupt. His shaky moral and ethical values will cause enormous legal and financial problems. He may consider influencing financial accounting procedures for personal benefit.

6. A manager who does not know how to create a satisfying, productive environment for subordinates. She is a proven implementer, but an ineffective manager, unwilling to delegate authority. She is unresponsive to factors which lower morale and reduce efficiency.

7. An executive who sets unreasonable objectives for subordinates and blames them for his own mistakes. He thinks additional pressure on subordinates is productive.

8. One whose godlike status and strong personality limits honest feedback. He is not receptive to suggestions and constitutionally unable to understand, accept or benefit from criticism by others.

9. A manager who is unable to keep her unit focused. She doesnt know what its focus has been in the past or should be in the future, but she can eloquently justify a move in the wrong direction on the spur of the moment.

10. An executive who picks the wrong side in political skirmishes. His bargaining chips are wasted on minor victories. He doesnt understand that successful warriors choose their encounters carefully, and if they cant win, they retreat until conditions are favorable.