Career Contessa The Leadership Skill Most Likely to Derail Your Career, According to a Harvard Professor
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Mar 17, 2026 
Margaret C. Andrews, a Harvard professor and author who teaches leadership rooted in self-awareness, explains why lack of self-awareness derails careers. Short, punchy takes on how intentions differ from impact. Tips on tiny daily practices to improve emotional control. A forward-looking look at why human skills matter as AI reshapes work.
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Boss's Brutal Feedback Sparked A Career Change
- Margaret Andrews was told by her boss she lacked selfness and that her behaviors negatively impacted others, which launched her into deep self-study.
- She researched leaders, psychology, history, and built the thesis that leadership starts with managing yourself.
Intentions Versus Behaviors Creates Misalignment
- People judge themselves by intentions while others judge them by behaviors, creating a persistent misalignment at work.
- That gap explains why high performers can feel misunderstood even when their intent is positive.
Derailment Happens Slowly Then All At Once
- Derailment often accumulates slowly and then happens suddenly when problematic behaviors outweigh results.
- Organizations may tolerate issues while performance is strong, but turnover or a tipping point exposes the problem.
