The Cost of Hoarding Opportunities: Cicely Simpson on Insecure Leadership

In a recent LinkedIn post, Cicely Simpson explores a common, yet often unintentional, leadership pitfall: hoarding. Simpson, who coaches business leaders, identifies a pattern of behavior among insecure leaders that ultimately hinders their own success and the growth of their teams.

Simpson observes that these leaders tend to hoard various resources, including opportunities, credit, access, and visibility. This behavior, she argues, is counterproductive and inevitably leads to their own downfall.

“The leaders who grip their seat the tightest are always the ones who lose it first.”

The Manifestations of Hoarding Behavior

According to Cicely Simpson, this hoarding manifests in several distinct ways within a team or organization. These include leaders taking credit for their team’s accomplishments, intentionally withholding access to senior-level discussions for their most capable team members, and avoiding making introductions that could benefit others.

Simpson highlights that this behavior is often not a deliberate act of malice. Instead, she suggests that leaders engaging in these practices may genuinely believe they are being helpful or supportive. However, the impact on the team and perceptions from higher up the organizational ladder are invariably negative.

“A lot of leaders doing this have no idea they are even doing it at all. Because to them, it’s ‘helpful’ or ‘supportive’. But the team notices, and so does everyone above them,” Simpson writes.

The Contrast: Secure Leadership Practices

In contrast to insecure, hoarding leaders, Cicely Simpson outlines the practices of secure leaders. These leaders, she notes, actively foster growth and visibility for their teams.

Key Differentiators of Secure Leaders:

• Freely making introductions, even without direct personal benefit.
• Proactively offering opportunities to individuals before they feel fully ready.
• Including high-potential team members in crucial conversations.
• Advocating for their team members in rooms where they are not present.

Simpson emphasizes that the leaders who leave a lasting positive impression are those who empower others to feel more confident, capable, and visible.

“The leaders people remember make others feel more confident, more capable, and more visible than they found them.”

She poses a reflective question to her audience: “Think about the leaders you’ve respected most across your career. Were they protecting their seat or building yours?” This prompts a consideration of legacy and impact, suggesting that true leadership is measured by the growth and success one enables in others, rather than the protection of one’s own position.

“You leave a mark on someone every single day. The question is what.”

Simpson concludes by promoting her newsletter, ‘The 5-Minute Leader’, as a resource for actionable leadership insights.