Why hubris is at odds with good leadership
Beware the leader who doesn’t listen to others and always thinks they are right, warns Rita Trehan.
Hubris evokes Greek tragedy and ancient myths of heroes and kings who destroy themselves through pride. But it is as relevant today as it ever was – in business as well as politics. And businesses concerned with surviving and thriving must be vigilant to it.
It is important to make a distinction. Hubris is not ‘just’ pride or arrogance. It is the kind of extreme pride and arrogance that arises when someone has had past successes and no longer thinks they are capable of being wrong. Though it seems obvious that this is not a desired quality in any leader, our culture has historically celebrated the single-minded person who goes it alone, making tough decisions themselves and commanding respect – or even fear – from their subordinates. Examples from recent history include former WeWork CEO Adam Neumann and Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick. They were indulged far longer than seems reasonable because of our cultural celebration of ‘the visionary leader’.
But hubris is antithetical to effective leadership because it is all-consuming. Hubristic leaders make decisions because they have made the right decisions before and, believing themselves infallible, increasingly isolate themselves from others, refusing to accept perspectives that contradict or challenge their own. Hubristic leaders thus make poor choices and overreach, since they believe they are capable of achieving much more than they can. Their isolation only amplifies their lack of self-awareness. By refusing to accept and celebrate competing views, to challenge their own instincts and to value the opinions of others for their own sake, they slide into their own reality, guaranteeing failure – if not immediately, then certainly in the long run.
Hubris develops insidiously. Hubristic leaders often justify their present decisions by reference to their past successful ones. But there are still subtle indications that a leader might be becoming hubristic. They may increasingly belittle, ignore or reject the opinions of others. They might collaborate less, siloing themselves. They may create conditions in which employees see themselves as competitors, rather than members of the same team. They may involve fewer and fewer people in the decision-making process or surround themselves with ‘yes’ types who never challenge the things they say. They may thwart attempts to instil a wider culture of questioning or debate.
But despite the fact that hubris often creeps up on successful leaders, it can be prevented by putting in place processes and a structure that encourages self-awareness. By proactively creating a culture in which creative conflict is nurtured and the team is empowered to speak honestly and challenge the leadership, the seeds of hubris do not have the opportunity to grow. It is also vitally important that leaders consciously reflect on what their function is: not to serve themselves, but to serve the business [or project – Ed]. This will encourage them to measure themselves against the standards set by that business: its values, vision and purpose. And, given the horror stories of recent years, it is also worthwhile for leaders to bear in mind how swiftly hubristic leaders fall from grace, and the often irreversible damage they do to their business and its people in the process. Has Uber ever really recovered from the allegations of Travis Kalanick’s sexual impropriety?
All this raises a question: what makes a good leader in 2021? First, good leaders are humble because of their successes. They make themselves vulnerable to encourage a plurality of views to be heard. They nurture talent. They stay true to their purpose. And they understand that collaboration is more effective than competition. If they reflect that in how they work, their culture will flourish.
by Rita Trehan. Rita Trehan is a business transformation expert, founder of Dare Worldwide Consultancy and co-author of Too Proud to Lead: How Hubris Can Destroy Effective Leadership and What to Do About It
THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU FROM THE summer 2021 ISSUE OF PROJECT JOURNAL, WHICH IS FREE FOR APM MEMBERS.
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