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74 It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor

two core competencies required for the executive suite. You’ll be seen
as a good “tactical” person, which means you’re acknowledged as a
good manager and good executer, but probably not ready to play at
the top of the organization where they need big picture people who
can think strategically and innovate.
But beyond that, if you are a person who never delegates because
you don’t trust your team or you are a “hands on” manager, it might
look like you are not developing your people or you have a leadership
issue. Think about it: If you’re doing the work that clearly should be
the responsibility of people beneath you, your bosses could easily
assume that you’re making up for their slack and wonder why you
need to do that. Are you not hiring the right people? Are you not cul-
tivating them by making sure they get the training, mentoring, and
experience they need to do their jobs well? Do you simply not know
how to get good work out of them? Your executive team will also won-
der how effectively you are grooming others to step up to their poten-
tial and eventually replace you (when you get that next big promotion).
On the other hand, if they know your people are capable, then
they can assume you have a control issue. You can create the percep-
tion that you need to be the best at everything, or that you want your
name on everything, or you want the credit for everything (and, let’s
face it, you do). The executive team has no reason to bring someone
who hogs credit or craves control or is overly competitive into their
fold—why create that headache for themselves?
In addition to the perceptions perfectionists create for those
above them, there is the very trying reality they create for those
unlucky souls who have to work for them.
If you are constantly getting involved in work you’ve delegated
because you need it to be right and you can’t risk mistakes, you are
probably coming across to others as overly critical of their work.
Constructive criticism is healthy and a good path to growth, but this
type of oversight isn’t constructive and it creates an environment