Top 5 reasons executives fail

Marty Abbott and Michael Fisher, writing at GigaOM, describe the top five reasons technology executives fail. The short form:

• Failure to build a world-class team.
• Failure to execute.
• Failure to lead/motivate/inspire.
• Failure to manage operationally.
• Lack of financial acumen.

Abbott's and Fisher's explanations focus on technology executives -- for example, the admonishment that "your senior technology officer does not need to be the brightest technical mind in the business." Their logic, nevertheless, also applies to other kinds of executives, from creative leaders up to CEOs.