Traditional leadership approaches are destroying innovation potential at an alarming rate, with 76% of employees reporting their best ideas die in bureaucratic approval processes. In my two decades coaching Fortune 500 executives, I’ve witnessed how outdated leadership practices consistently undermine creative potential and organizational growth.

The person you hired wants to be successful, even if they don’t yet know what that means. This new member of your team wants to do good work and succeed. As a sales leader, you must fill in the blanks for the people in your charge. If you don’t set the standards that ensure success, then no one knows what success means, nor will they know what to do and how to win deals.

The greatest threat to your organization’s success isn’t your competition—it’s your leadership style driving top talent out the door. In my work coaching senior executives, I’ve documented a concerning pattern: leaders often remain blind to the behaviors that prompt their most valuable employees to quietly plan their exits.