Why do the rich and powerful—and many of our top-level leaders—so often seem to screw up, break laws, and engage in outrageous behavior, including sexual escapades?
Because I've written about power and leadership, I've been fielding reporters' questions and doing radio programs about the Penn State/Joe Paterno fiasco, and the sexual harassment claims against Republican Presidential candidate, Herman Cain. I think the answers to these abuses are in the dynamics of power. How and why does power corrupt?
The rich and powerful are admired and catered to by others. Many of the most powerful can get anything they want with the snap of their fingers. Although many leaders start out using their power to get things done and to benefit others, over time they may begin to believe that whatever they do is right (and they delude themselves into thinking that benefiting others is their primary concern). Philosopher Terry Price says that over time, powerful people may begin to believe that they are "above the law" - that the rules that apply to others do not apply to them. What Price calls "exception-making."
Moreover, followers collude with the leader: they look the other way when the leader misbehaves, and they may even believe that the misbehavior is ok because of the leader's station and power. This is clearly what happened in the Penn State fiasco - a whole lot of rationalizing, and looking the other way. Leadership scholar, Jean Lipman-Blumen states that followers enable and aid the leader's misbehavior - a process that is discussed in her book that examines why people willingly follow toxic leaders.
So what is the leader's antidote to intoxication caused by power and privilege? The answer is humility. It is important that leaders have the humility to objectively evaluate their own behavior. They need to realize that their power is given to them, that it can be fleeting, and it is the obligation of those close to the leader - the inner circle - to hold a mirror up to the leader's actions and to hold the leader accountable. The Penn State situation was just as much the fault of those who looked the other way as it was the perpetrator's.
Powerful people and leaders need to understand that their obligation is to use that power wisely, and to the benefit of others - not to abuse it, and certainly not use it to justify their illegal or immoral behavior, or behavior that brings harm to others.
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