Abstract When people adopt a detail-oriented behavioral style, do we perceive them as more or less fit for leadership roles? Building on a recent psychological perspective that links power and status to adoption of a big-picture focus, we propose that when individuals engage in detail-oriented behaviors, they send signals that are at odds with being in a high-level leadership position. Across four studies we find that whereas people who consider such detail-oriented behaviors from a leader’s perspective expect these behaviors to be useful in signaling their fit for leadership positions (Study 1), observers make the opposite inference (Studies 2-4). People with a detail-oriented behavioral style are perceived as being less fit for high-level leadership positions (Study 2), an effect that is mediated by lower judgments of their big-picture focus (Study 3). This effect persists even when people’s detail-oriented behaviors are motivated by their intent to be helpful (Study 4).