In a recent Forbes Coaches Council article, I weighed in on The Self-Destructive Traits of Overachievers. One trait I see often is prioritizing results at the expense of people.
“One of the most self-destructive habits in high achievers is over-indexing on the “what” versus balancing the “what” and the “how.” The “what” is the goal – the number, the win. The “how” is the way we do things– the consideration for people in the process, the balance. By focusing on the “what,” they can alienate others and destroy team culture. A more productive approach is to balance the “what” and the “how.”
Results at Any Cost?
Regardless of the industry or the size of the organization I consult in, the most common vocabulary word across them is RESULTS.
Does it matter how you get them? Candidly, in some cultures, the answer you’ll find is no. Is there a price tag on Results at all costs? Regardless of organization, the answer is yes.
Disengagement and Burnout on the Rise
In DHR Global’s 2026 Workforce Trends Report, a survey of 1,500 knowledge workers across North America, Europe, and Asia, the share of employees describing themselves as very or extremely engaged fell from 88% in 2025 to 64% in 2026.
Additionally, 85% of knowledge workers report feeling burned out, and 52% of say burnout negatively impacts engagement, up from 34% in 2025.
This tracks with what I’m seeing and hearing across a broad cross-section of industries and organizations.
Developing Balanced Leaders = Retaining Your Best Talent = Better Results
High achievers run the risk of over-indexing on results, as do the leaders of organizations.
I understand the pressure to produce results. I work with clients under shareholder pressure, PE pressure and more.
However, I’m concerned that results are often the ultimate goal without consideration for people. When we elevate and teach leaders that results are the singular, ultimate goal, we have disengagement numbers that are through the roof, high burnout and productivity that remains relatively flat.
It’s a recipe for turnover of the wrong type of talent.
There’s only so much you can squeeze out of people. And your best people are the most likely to leave and go where there are better working conditions – where they feel included, engaged and inspired.
When people are burned out, they give you the bare minimum. They’re not inspired or creative. They’re not thinking about the problem you need them to solve or a better way to do something.
And you can’t pay someone to care when they’ve withdrawn their fire … because you didn’t care about people.
It isn’t that complicated. If you only focus on results, you may see short-term gains, but you’re sacrificing long-term success.
Healthy, sustainable success requires a balance of what (results) and how (people).
