Leaders don't always do the right thing. Some bring on their own demise. Like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse who presage imminent disaster, four factors contribute to and give advance warning of the apocalypse for leaders. They are fear, uncertainty, urgency, and comfort.

Fear contributed to John's demise after he took over the firm from his father. Worrying that he couldn't live up to his father's expectations and continue the firm's expansion, he spent more time anguishing over what to do than calmly planning for the future and taking action. His fear of failure, and the accompanying stress, caused him to second guess himself - first making a decision, only to change it soon thereafter. His repeated false starts and changes in direction ultimately led to his father stepping back in to right the foundering firm until an outsider could be brought in to take over.

Uncertainty drove Casey over the brink, into an abyss of indecision. Casey had always prided herself on her ability to take decisive actions to achieve the goals and objectives set for her in previous positions in the business. Once she got to the top, however, the goals were no longer given to her, the complexity of the overall strategy and direction was far greater than what she had experienced before, and she struggled to make sense of the unclear, ambiguous, and conflicting cascade of information. The result was uncertainty that paralyzed her - she procrastinated and no longer took decisive action - and eventually she was asked to leave.

Urgency blinded Carl to the important changes happening in the business. His rise to the top resulted, in part, from his ability to manage crises. His calming confidence in the midst of chaos differentiated him from his colleagues and thrust him into the spotlight as the business experienced a series of threats to its leading position in the industry. He found himself repeatedly fighting the fires threatening the business without taking the time to see what caused them. The urgent superseded the important - he missed the trends that led to a rapid decline in market share for the business.

Comfort dulled Jan's desire and ability to drive changes through the business. Having grown up in a business that was widely regarded as among the best in the country, he expected that, rain or shine, the strength and competence of the business and its people would enable them to weather any storm. Jan believed, unrealistically, that his job was to maintain and preserve what had made the company so successful for so long. Both he and the company were shocked by the nearly overnight erosion of the company's market share by more agile and technologically-savvy competitors.

Fear, uncertainty, urgency, and comfort can lead to an apocalypse for those leaders who fail to recognize and address the threats they present. What can you do to reduce the risk of bringing on your own apocalypse?

Spend time with people in other businesses, preferably in other industries. It's easy to get trapped in a closed world when you don't talk to those outside of your business.

Bring in thought leaders to challenge your thinking. Some of the best leaders bring in noted authors, outstanding professors, experienced consultants, and thought-provoking speakers to challenge the thinking of those in the business.

Talk with younger people. It's easy to forget that younger people have a perspective that is unconstrained by our history and experience and so provide a fresh, unencumbered view of things.

Get involved in things having nothing to do with your business. Many leaders travel extensively, or are dedicated to hobbies and interests outside of work, or volunteer with community and church organizations to develop a point of view that rests on something other than business as usual.

Read. Reading, no matter what the topic, opens up new worlds and ways of thinking.

All these ideas fall into one over-arching category - get a different point of view in order not to be trapped by your own perspective and thus become unable to see what lies ahead.

What should you do to minimize your chances of creating an apocalypse?

Mark Van Bommel, a German soccer player, recently said, "A coach must be able to explain why he does things and if he can't, he needs to ask, 'Why is he a coach?'"

The same applies to leaders. Knowing why you do what you do is not enough. People need to know why. Leaders must explain to others their reasons for the actions they take.

What actions have you taken recently that you need to explain fully and clearly to others in the business?

Scott Adams, cartoonist, said: "You don't have to be a 'person of influence' to be influential. In fact, the most influential people in my life are probably not even aware of the things they've taught me."

The best leaders create a positive lasting influence, a memorial to their leadership, on others. They taught things others remember, use, and benefit from.

How have you influenced others? What have they learned from you?

Email archie@archietinelli.com