Often, leaders are promoted into their roles because of their ability to solve problems. But that strength can become a weakness when it leads to dependency, creating an environment where the leader is always swooping in to save the day.

In this week's episode of The Mindtools L&D Podcast, Ross D and Cammy are joined by Bill Flynn, CEO of Catalyst Growth Advisors and author of The Hero Trap, to discuss:

what the 'hero trap' is and why leaders fall into it;
why the behaviors that bring early success often limit growth later on;
how leadership development programs need to change to address this issue;
how we can help leaders make the shift from problem-solvers to systems-architects.

You can pre-order The Hero Trap here, and find out more about Bill's work on his website.

In 'What I Learned This Week', Ross D recommended the podcast Rabbit Hole.

For more from Mindtools Kineo, visit mindtools.com or kineo.com. There, you'll also find details of our Learning Management Systems, Content Hub for leaders and managers, and custom learning design service.

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Connect with our speakers

If you'd like to share your thoughts on this episode, connect with us on LinkedIn:

Ross Dickie

Cammy Bean

Bill Flynn

486 — How to escape the 'hero trap'