01/09/2025
There’s something reassuring about a colleague who takes pride in getting things right. The one who checks every detail, upholds standards, and never misses a deadline. But when high standards become perfectionism, and conscientiousness becomes control, the strength of diligence can quietly turn into a liability.
According to the Hogan Development Survey (HDS), the Diligent derailer reflects individuals who are hardworking, organised, and precise—but who can also be overly critical, micromanaging, and inflexible under pressure.
What is the Diligent Derailer?
Those high on the Diligent scale are often described as:
Detail-focused and reliable
Committed to high performance
Responsible and dependable
Strong upholders of rules and structure
In the right role, these qualities are assets—particularly in environments where precision and accountability are critical. But when overplayed, the Diligent derailer can lead to:
Reluctance to delegate
Excessive checking or rework
Frustration with others’ perceived lack of rigour
Paralysis in the face of ambiguity or shifting priorities
What begins as high standards can quickly become over-control, undermining collaboration and slowing progress.
Diligent in Leadership
Diligent leaders are often seen as the ones who “get things done.” They bring structure, rigour, and quality assurance. But in leadership roles—especially those requiring vision, delegation, or innovation—the risks begin to show.
Leaders with a strong Diligent profile may:
Struggle to trust others to deliver
Get bogged down in detail and lose sight of the bigger picture
Micromanage teams and resist shared ownership
Find it hard to adapt quickly when plans change
This can lead to frustration on both sides: teams feel stifled, while the leader feels let down or unsupported.
When Rigour Becomes Rigidity
Left unchecked, the Diligent derailer can cause:
Bottlenecks due to over-involvement
Team demotivation due to perceived lack of trust
Slower decision-making and missed opportunities
Leadership fatigue or burnout from trying to do too much alone
This is particularly problematic in fast-paced or ambiguous environments, where adaptability matters as much as accuracy.
How to Manage the Diligent Derailer
The development journey for Diligent leaders isn’t about lowering standards—it’s about expanding their definition of effectiveness. Leadership is as much about enabling others as it is about executing well.
1. Reframe Delegation as Development
Many Diligent leaders fear that others won’t do the job “properly.”
Coach them to see delegation not as a risk to quality—but as a chance to:
Develop team capability
Focus on higher-impact strategic work
Build resilience into the system
2. Shift From Perfect to Good Enough
In leadership, timeliness and momentum often trump perfection.
Encourage Diligent leaders to ask:
What’s the impact of holding this back?
What would 80% done look like?
Where am I overengineering or overpolicing?
3. Build Tolerance for Ambiguity
Precision doesn’t always work in messy, fast-moving contexts.
Support Diligent leaders in:
Practising scenario thinking
Using assumptions and guardrails, not fixed plans
Getting comfortable with “test and learn” approaches
4. Gather Feedback from Direct Reports
Diligent leaders may not realise their behaviour feels controlling.
Use 360° feedback to explore:
How their team experiences their involvement
Whether they create space for others’ ideas
Where their attention to detail is helping vs. hindering
5. Create New Metrics for Success
Many Diligent leaders are driven by task completion and flawless output.
Challenge them to redefine success around:
Team autonomy
Psychological safety
Strategic influence
From Control to Confidence
At its core, the Diligent derailer is about a deep sense of responsibility. These leaders care. A lot. But when that care becomes controlling, they risk creating friction, slowing progress, and burning out in the process.
The journey is about shifting from personal accountability to collective achievement—from doing it all to enabling all. When Diligent leaders learn to trust, delegate, and prioritise progress over perfection, they become more effective, sustainable, and empowering to those around them.