As adults, we tend not to believe in goblins and ghosts. And yet, as our children celebrate Halloween tonight, it might make sense for us to spend a moment considering those things that haunt leaders.

Many of the leaders I know, and far more whom I have observed and studied, seem haunted by personal goblins and ghosts. What do I mean?

Leaders are human and, as a result, are plagued by fears, foibles and faults that undermine and threaten their ability to lead. A few examples:

Marlene is an unassuming leader who avoids the spotlight, plugs away diligently, and does whatever is asked of her without objection. She has developed a well-deserved reputation for making sure that things get done, which leads to her being typecast as someone who can solve messy client service problems, but who doesn't have sales skills and doesn't think strategically.

What are her goblins and ghosts? She refuses to tell the story of her successes in a way that fully communicates the depth and breadth of her thinking. She believes that to do so would be self-promoting and arrogant.

Marlene's unwillingness to tell her own story haunts her in that it has limited her career; she has only been assigned to difficult customer service assignments and is not considered for more strategic positions requiring a greater breadth of expertise. It's not just that her career is limited; but that the organization has failed to take full advantage of her knowledge and skills.

Jurgen came to the U.S. from Germany when his global telecommunications company expanded here. With the shakeups and consolidation in the industry, he is now at his third company. Early in his career, his direct, assertive style hadn't been a problem.

Now, however, his brusque, demanding style has alienated most of the people he works with. When asked to explain his behavior, he talks about his high expectations and the importance of making sure that things get done right the first time.

Jurgen's goblins and ghosts are clearly haunting him now, although he is unwilling to see them. He believes that his direct approach is what makes him successful, that his focus on excellence outweighs any concerns about dealing with people, and that if he were to change his approach it would represent a lowering of the high standards he has set for himself and others. Jurgen's future is severely limited as long as he continues to discount and ignore the feedback he's getting about his style.

Marina is a hard-working, dedicated young leader. She puts in long hours, gets things done, and willingly takes on whatever projects are assigned to her. Clearly ambitious, she works hard to ensure that her efforts are recognized by her bosses and rewarded with promotions and raises.

Her goblins and ghosts result from her obsessive focus on her own career. She has little interest in helping her peers and subordinates. While she works well with others to get things done, she is unaware of and uninterested in their goals, aspirations, and careers. Marina's career plans may be negatively affected by her lack of concern for others; if she doesn't care about others, why should others in the organization care for or support her?

Darin has always cared about others, often to the detriment of the business. He's collaborative, inclusive, and supportive. He believes that everyone's voice should be heard and that, with patience and gentle persuasion, conflicts and disagreements can be resolved.

His goblins and ghosts result from his belief that solutions lie solely within the group; he doesn't realize that there are times when leaders must set the direction and assert their authority. Fearful that he will offend others, he focuses on process, strives to be tactful, and rarely asserts a strong position of his own. The effect is that it often takes too long to come to a decision, his expertise and experience is lost due to the focus on process, and the members of his staff who yearn for clear and decisive guidance aren't getting it.

What are your goblins and ghosts? What can you do to ensure they no longer haunt you, your career, and your business?

Calvin Trillin recently wrote an Op Ed piece for the New York Times in which he argued that "having smart guys there almost caused Wall Street to collapse." The implication is that smarts alone aren't enough to run a business and that arrogance and greed played too large a role.

Success as a leader is not guaranteed merely because someone is smart. Common sense, experience, integrity, and persistence matter more.

To what extent is your intelligence enhanced by these other attributes? What else can you do to ensure that your smarts (and perhaps arrogance and greed) don't cause your personal collapse?

In a recent Sports Illustrated article, Stefan Fatsis writes about young NFL coaches who believe in intimidation, humiliation, and foul language as key leadership tools. He blames a system in which young assistant coaches are taught about football, but not about people. And, he blames young coaches who mistakenly believe they can establish their authority by being profane and tough.

Leadership in business suffers from similar problems. Organizations often spend far more time developing technical and business skills while overlooking leadership skills. And, young leaders often err by demonstrating false bravado, instead of learning how to lead with quiet, professional competence.

How does your organization develop its leaders? What can you do to develop them better?

Email archie@archietinelli.com