Failure to meet business objectives – all derailers were seen to be successful and meeting technical outputs from their early career roles, however, as the context changed, requiring new skills, productivity issues arose for the derailers. Often it was about lack of follow-through or over-promising to deliver.
Inability to build or lead a team – the traits such as assertiveness and initiative that put people on the fast track early on, were the ones that derailed them later in their careers when they were expected to be more team orientated (Kovach, 1986; McCall & Lombardo, 1983).
Inability to change or adapt during a transition – ability to adapt eg to a new boss with a different style, a new job, a new culture or changes in the market. Inflexibility in management style. Often the derailed were not able to learn or take on board feedback.
Not usually all of them happen at once, one is enough to raise questions , two or more and it is danger time