Moral Myopia and Leadership
Updated: Aug 25, 2021
We've all heard the saying, "With great power comes great responsibility." I argue that we have a problem: With great power, also comes great blindness. Here are some reasons:
Whatever leaders did throughout their careers got them where they are now. Under such circumstances, how would you convince a leader to change? How do you explain that what worked before no longer works now?
Power begets power. The more power one has, the more one is likely to receive. Thus, power is rewarded by its very existence.
The more power one has, the less likely others are to tell one the truth. Think about it: How likely are you to have a heart-to-heart with an all-powerful individual in your organization and tell them what they are doing wrong?