These three common leadership personas quietly sabotage strategy execution.
When I walk into a strategic growth planning session with an AEC firm, I’m not just thinking about goals and KPIs; I’m thinking about people. Because behind every stalled initiative, delayed decision, or abandoned priority is often a leadership dynamic that no spreadsheet can capture.
Over the years, I’ve noticed three familiar personas that surface time and again. These aren’t “bad actors”; in fact, they’re trusted leaders who care deeply but whose default behaviors unintentionally slow down progress. Recognizing these patterns and coaching through them has been one of the most transformational parts of my work at Zweig Group.
In my previous article on advanced strategy execution, I explored how employee experience, in addition to cementing essential structural and tactical elements, plays a crucial role in maximizing strategic outcomes. However, even the most engaged teams can face roadblocks when common leadership behaviors go unexamined.
This article is for the growth-minded leaders who want to bring more self-awareness, empathy, and strategic momentum into their teams. If it sparks a thought, a question, or a challenge you’re facing, I’d be honored to explore it with you.
Here are three of the most common personas that can quietly slow or even sabotage strategy execution, along with coaching strategies that I’ve found helpful in turning resistance into momentum.
1. The Firefighter (crisis-driven, reactive leader). You know this person. Maybe you’ve even been this person. The Firefighter thrives in crisis; they are fast, dependable, and heroic under pressure. When something is on fire, they are already grabbing the hose. Their value in urgent moments is undeniable.
But when crisis becomes their comfort zone, strategy suffers. Firefighters prioritize immediate problems over long-term initiatives. They unintentionally create a culture of constant reactivity, where every issue feels urgent and there is no breathing room for proactive planning.
Impact:
- Strategic initiatives get buried under short-term emergencies.
- Teams burn out chasing shifting priorities.
How to coach them forward: Rather than constantly rushing to extinguish fires, invite Firefighters to help design the fireproofing by leading pilot programs, scenario planning, or leading proactive risk-mitigation efforts. They need to see that prevention is just as powerful as intervention, and that the best leaders fight fewer fires because they built stronger systems.
2. The Historian (change-resistant, tradition-bound leader). Historians possess a rare and valuable asset: context. They know the firm’s past strategies, client relationships, and internal dynamics inside out. They are grounded, loyal, and steady but often hesitant when strategic shifts suggest letting go of what’s familiar. New ideas tend to get filtered through what has or hasn’t worked before. Their instinct is to protect, but that instinct can slow needed reinvention.
Impact:
- Strategic shifts meet passive resistance.
- New ideas are dismissed before being tested.
How to coach them forward: Reposition them as partners in evolution. I often ask them to draw connections between legacy practices and future growth. When they realize their voice matters because of change, not in spite of it, they often lead with renewed purpose and become your most thoughtful advocates.
3. The Lone Wolf (independent, unaligned high-performer). The Lone Wolf is a high-performer. They get results, often ahead of schedule and above expectations. But they do it on their own terms, sometimes outside the strategic fold. They may see strategic planning as bureaucracy, or simply not their concern.
While independence can be a strength, Lone Wolves can fragment strategy. They pursue their own goals, which may or may not align with firm-wide direction. This creates silos, dilutes focus, and weakens the collective effort.
Impact:
- Strategy execution becomes inconsistent.
- Collaboration feels optional, not essential.
How to coach them forward: Make alignment feel empowering, not restrictive. I’ve seen success by inviting Lone Wolves to lead cross-functional initiatives or innovation labs where their independence fuels progress but within a shared purpose. Publicly linking individual wins to collective goals also reinforces the value of integration.
The big picture.
Of course, these are not the only behaviors that can derail strategy execution. I’ve also seen leaders who avoid difficult truths by staying overly positive. Others who resist change because they’ve seen too many failed attempts. Some who stay on the sidelines but still steer outcomes. And those who say yes to everything without ever truly committing. Then there are those who delay decisions, waiting for the plan to be perfect. The list goes on.
If you’re seeing any of these patterns in your firm and want to explore how to shift from misalignment to momentum, let’s talk. I’d love to help.
Zweig Group has seen firsthand what happens when leadership teams choose growth over comfort. When Firefighters embrace planning, Historians reframe change, and Lone Wolves reconnect to purpose, the impact is transformative. Strategy comes alive. Execution accelerates. The firm moves forward together.
In the end, strategic growth planning isn’t just a roadmap but a reflection of how a firm thinks, acts, and leads. And while plans can be written, and execution can be driven, only culture and leadership alignment can turn strategy into something enduring.
Ying Liu, LEED AP BD+C is senior director of Growth consulting at Zweig Group. Contact her at yliu@zweiggroup.com.
