Leaders, Beware of the “Savior Syndrome”!

– Alban Azzopardi, General Manager Grant Alexander – Executive Interim, for Cadre & Dirigeant Magazine

Some leaders tend to want to monopolize tasks within their company. When this behavior becomes excessive, it is called the “savior syndrome.” Having a leader involved in everything, like a white knight, is not only counterproductive but also harmful, both for the leader and for the company.
“Without me, it won’t work.” This is the mantra of the leader who feels compelled to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. This behavior has a name: it is the “savior syndrome.” More common than one might think, it affects many leaders, especially those who are employees of their own company. According to Berkeley psychologists Mary C. Lamia and Marilyn J. Krieger, who described this syndrome in 2015, this need to control everything stems from a strong desire to exist in the eyes of others and to gain their recognition. However, this “know-it-all” syndrome hides several perverse effects. The first is that it weakens the person suffering from it. By getting involved in everything, the leader “occupies” multiple roles within the company. As a result, they forget to focus on their value-added contributions: vision, strategy, and management…

Becoming aware and seeking support
The problem is that, over time, the altruism the leader believes they are showing gives way to exhaustion. In extreme situations – especially during the Covid-19 crisis, which pushed leaders to their limits – this syndrome can even lead to burnout. The second harmful effect of this posture is that it destabilizes the entire organization. Alongside a leader who is “everywhere,” employees may feel lost and leave the company. The “savior syndrome,” characterized by the visceral need to be “everywhere” in the company, can only be resolved in one way: by saving oneself. Becoming aware of excessive behavior is a crucial first step. By naming this type of conduct, leaders can then adjust their behavior and stop wearing the superhero costume at work, provided they are willing to change. Even if this step may wrongly be perceived as a sign of weakness, seeking external help is worth exploring. Working on leadership with the support of a professional is a relevant option, even an essential stage in a leader’s career, provided they are willing to take a step back, let go, and question the indispensability of their role.

Learning to delegate to boost engagement
On the operational side, other levers can also be activated to counter savior syndrome. Turning to transition management, for example, can allow leaders to benefit from a fresh perspective on a situation, to realize they may not have surrounded themselves with the right resources, or to identify missed investments. Care must be taken, however, not to transfer the syndrome to the transition manager, who is also not a superhero. The intervention of someone who has faced similar situations in other companies can finally help leaders become aware of their own limits, particularly their hesitation to delegate tasks to employees, even those with the appropriate skill level. They stand to gain immensely by entrusting more responsibilities to their teams! Delegation is a strong act of management that, although it requires trust, generates a remarkable boost in employee engagement.

Read the article on Cadre & Dirigeant Magazine