How many times have you been told something by a leader only to realize that the truth is on another planet?!
I'm not talking about the "little white lies" that typically don't cause any damage (how did it get it's name anyway?). I'm talking about those gargantuan whoppers that baffle even the most creative geniuses. You know - the kind of statements and behaviors that topple companies or hedge funds and get us into all kinds of global trouble.
Have you ever wondered how those leaders were able to convince scores of people that they were qualified to take the reigns? I've wondered about it for years so I took a look closer at the personality traits of leaders and liars. Turns out that there is much to be learned and yes - there is a correlation between leadership and lying.
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Before I go further let me issue a quick (and humorous) disclaimer:
- Any characters or situations appearing in this post are fictitious.
- Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Leadership is both art and science - and is also apparently amenable to lying. Many argue about whether leaders are born or built. I believe it's both. Some people come with a leadership chip installed and others have to install leadership programs along the way. Either way leaders arrive at their stations and are - we believe - prepared to lead. Yet - we see time and time again the results of lies or unscrupulous behavior from leaders that have been trusted to take their companies and organizations where they need to go. How can this be?
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Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility.
Peter Drucker
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High Power, Low Power
Many studies on this topic are available, but the study that I found most intriguing was completed by business students from Columbia University. By studying the effects of lies and truths between high power (leader) and low power (subordinate) individuals, they were able to show a clear difference in how both groups reacted.
Results showed that low power test subjects were significantly more impacted by the negative factors associated with lying than were high power test subjects. This means that people in high power roles were more comfortable with lying. For instance, high power individuals didn't respond as intensely to negative moral emotion, cortisol reactivity, and cognitive impairment compared to low power individuals. Thus the high power individuals didn't "feel" the effects of the lies that they told.
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Leaders, Watch Yourselves!
We've frequently heard the phrase "Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely." by Lord Acton. He believed that "great men are almost always bad men." Whether that's true depends on the awareness and actions of high-powered leaders. The world is full of individuals who have not been corrupted by their rank as they have found ways to balance themselves.
A study in Psychology Today gave further insight into traits that can be common between leaders and liars as shown below. All traits are desirable for leaders except manipulation which can be positively converted to influence. Surprisingly, the study showed that college-educated individuals lied more than non-college-educated individuals. It's clear that leaders who don't find a balance may tip the scale to liar very quickly.
I-Core Principles: Intellect. Integrity. Influence.
While contemplating what makes an exceptional leader without exception, three characteristics came to mind as I-Core Principles: Intellect. Integrity. Influence. My practice is built on these elements of human and leadership excellence. With each of these traits in high doses, a high-powered individuals will not stray into negative territory.
- Intellect - of or related to abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, problem solving, and the application of best practices
- Integrity - of or related to consistent actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes leading to high personal standards
- Influence - of or related to the power to produce effects on the actions, behaviors, or opinions, or outcomes of a person, thing, or situation usually without direct or apparent force
Pay close attention to what you say and do. As a Leader, you may be lying and might not even know it!
Care to share your thoughts on leaders and liars?
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