Idea = Identity A Trap Leaders Often Walk Into

“This pattern—of leaders becoming overly attached to their own ideas, even when they are no longer viable—is more common than we think.”

“He would hold on to an idea, try to make it work somehow, even if all forms of evidence point to impracticality of the idea.”

This was part of the feedback shared by a sponsor about one of my coachees. In another instance, a patriarch of a family-run business I was consulting with, refused to discontinue a loss-making product, which was close to his heart, despite mounting evidence and repeated pleas from his team.

This pattern—of leaders becoming overly attached to their own ideas, even when they are no longer viable—is more common than we think. There seems to be a moment when conviction morphs into rigidity and idea becomes identity. And from that point on, letting go of an idea that may have well started off as a bold or a thoughtful one, is not just a business decision—it becomes emotional, personal, even an existential threat.

The Idea = Identity Trap

Why do some leaders struggle to pivot, even in the face of obvious failures? A few underlying patterns can explain this behaviour:

The Resolve–Flexibility Conflict: In leadership stories, unwavering resolve is often a much-admired trait. Perseverance is placed top on the virtue pedestal. Flexibility, by contrast, is sometimes perceived as dilution or even weakness. When leaders equate flexibility with backing off, they miss the opportunity to correct.

The Backfire Effect: A close cousin of confirmation bias, this is the tendency to dismiss contrary evidence and double down on existing beliefs. The more challenged a leader feels, the more fiercely they cling to the original idea.

Fear of Judgment: Admitting that a decision was flawed can feel like exposing oneself—particularly in high-stakes, competitive, or hierarchical environments. The fear of losing credibility can override rational assessment.

Hubris Mind: Sometimes, ego and power play a larger role. The pursuit of recognition, status, or legacy can take precedence over the greater good. When leaders start to believe their ideas are inherently superior, dissent is easily dismissed.

The Eternal Bond: Some leaders fall in love with their ideas. The emotional investment is so high that separation feels like betrayal. Even when abandoning the idea outright is necessary, they may continue to support it subtly, through backdoor efforts.

Lessons from the Real World

There are numerous examples of this trap playing out in the real world. The story of Kingfisher Airlines, where personal passion overrode financial viability, or Tata Nano, which couldn’t find its market despite its noble intentions, come to mind.

An extreme and cautionary tale is that of Theranos, once valued at USD 9 billion. Its founder, Elizabeth Holmes, promoted a revolutionary, minimally invasive blood-testing solution. The narrative was so compelling that few questioned the feasibility of the technology—until the truth came out that ended in her imprisonment. What started as an audacious idea became an illusion, propped up by greed and systemic silence.

What is the Antidote?

There is no single formula to prevent the Idea = Identity trap. But leaders can consciously cultivate habits that build awareness and bring changes. Here are some helpful approaches:

Decoding Feedback: Actively process feedback from diverse sources. Rather than using it to confirm assumptions, treat it as a mirror. Dissenting voices, in particular, often hold the most valuable truths.

Staying Grounded: Maintain clarity about what’s really happening. Leaders benefit from sizing up the environment openly and adapting accordingly. Being grounded is about seeing the world as it is—not as we want it to be.

Being Reflective: Take time to introspect: Why am I holding on to this? Is it about the idea itself, or what it represents—success, pride, fear of failure? Practices like journaling can help build alternate narratives and recover from personal beliefs.

Building Psychological Distance: Changing the narrative from “my idea” to “an idea I’m exploring” can create just enough distance to evaluate it more objectively. The idea no longer defines the person—it simply becomes one of many alternatives considered.

Normalising Course Correction: Consider course correction as a strength. When teams see their leaders course-correct based on evidence and introspection, it builds trust, not doubt. Stepping back can be a sign of learning, not weakness.

Closing Thought

Ideas can be powerful. But when they become fused with ego, they can become dangerous. While resistance is natural, stubbornness can hinder progress and damage the cause. As coaches, we may also fall prey to this trap by engaging in a course of action even when we realise it is ineffective or not challenging leaders enough who are victims of this behaviour. For leaders, it may pay to remember that who they are is always bigger than what they have built—and that adaptability is not the opposite of strength, but it is a quiet companion.

Author – S. Raghuram, CFI Coach