The arrogance of strength is a potent elixir. The intoxication of power is fearsome, and it so easily gets formed into a faux feeling of supremacy. In most cases, drunken brute force is downright ugly.
We all read stories of individuals and companies brought down by brash egos, the lust for power, and the overconfidence of maligned supremacy. Bad decision-making is the root cause of the collapse—bad choices in marketing, purchasing, hiring, and promoting. Relationships suffer, both within the organization and with the struggling customer base.
The word Hubis comes to mind. Hubris comes from Greek; it is the ultimate pride. Pride is so great that ambitions and efforts result in offending the gods and leading to the individual’s downfall. Hubris was a common theme in many Greek tragedies, including the well-known tragedies of Oedipus and Achilles. The saying heard countless times, “Pride goeth before a fall,” is discussing Hubis.
The origins of the word arrogance provide insight, too. Arrogance comes from the Latin word adrogare. It is a strong word, meaning one has the right to demand specific attitudes and behaviors from others.
Arrogance, abuse of power, exploitation, and motivation by fear have been with us for ages. Unfortunately, we as humans continue to struggle with abusive authority, whether we are the afflicter or the afflicted. In William Shakespeare’s play Measure for Measure, Isabella warns Angelo when taking on a new position:
O’ it is excellent
To have a giant’s strength but be tyrannous
To use it like a giant.
Now, power is not destructive when used appropriately. Professor Christopher Loch, the Director of Cambridge Judge Business School, said, “Hubris is not a mental disease – it is the result of psychological reactions to power and status to which we are all subject. In healthy people, it enables confidence and reduces stress, but in some, it creates a perception of oneself as a giant and others as minions. This distorts the individual’s sense of goals and decisions. This effect makes Hubris a highly relevant risk-management issue for businesses.”
The monster boss loses the respect of his subordinates. How? Instead of telling the arrogant leaders the truth, they now only say what the leaders want to hear. Sadly, the tyrants believe what their colleagues tell them and bask in their words like a massage with sensuous and fragrant oils.
Shortsightedness and the failure to plan for the future lead to further demise. Interest in and learning about what is happening in their industry field is nothing but a fleeting pastime. Maintaining power is at the forefront.
Then, too, the tyrant demands a grand office, lavish dinners, chauffeurs, and private jets to fuel his need for power—the organization struggles. Good contributors leave, and all that is left are the “yes” people.
Getting high on one’s greatness leads to the false feeling of being more significant than they are. The drunken power brute creates myths that he is forced to live but often cannot. Yes is the only answer; I can do everything, do it all, and promise anything.
What is the workaholic, arrogant, tyrannical leader to do? The troubled leader must let go of his sense of supreme self-importance to view other people’s opinions honestly in a proportional relation to his own.
Going from a tyrant to a successful leader requires self-mastery. Many think of self-mastery as a mysterious and fearful undertaking. It is not. Self-mastery is looking to see one’s strengths and capabilities and then finding ways to orchestrate and develop these talents.
Is the journey of self-mastery comfortable? No, of course not. It calls for thorough familiarity with one’s mental and emotional strengths. The biggest challenge, no doubt, is that self-mastery calls for a sustaining commitment to personal growth. It is two-fold: understanding what makes you tick as an individual and for one’s professional development.
Effective leaders cultivate potential, capabilities, and confidence in themselves and the people around them.
