A634.3.4.RB - The Harder They Fall

A634.3.4.RB - The Harder They Fall

                How many times has the news reported that the CEO of a company let power and control consume them and they were fired because of unethical business practices? Adams (2013) shared a few examples from 2013 of the biggest screw-ups of that year; Ronald Johnson was the CEO of J.C Penny, he was the former head of Apple’s retail and former executive at Target, however; when he went to J.C. Penny he tried to implement changes before trying them, customers left and stocks fell drastically. Steve Ballmer was the outgoing CEO of Microsoft and followed behind Bill Gates; unfortunately, he did not recognize the shift from PC’s to smart phones and he failed to compete with Google, and their stock fell 36%. Finally, Chip Wilson was the former chairperson of Lululemon women’s clothing; he made several unethical remarks about women’s bodies and said in 2005 that third-world children should be allowed to work in factories because they need money.

                What do the individuals who have reached the top have in common? They shared ethical dilemmas of leading companies by making decisions they believed would improve or boost a company, instead; they sank the companies or caused them financial hardships because they let power consume them. When money becomes the factor, rational thinking is no longer relevant. Riggio (2009) explained that personalized power is using power for personal gain. He further explained (2009) that leaders can delude themselves that they are working for the greater good, using socialized power, but engage in power that is morally wrong. In addition (2009) leaders can become intoxicated by power, engaging in wrong behavior simply because they can get away with it. This leads individuals down a road where they will fall hard when they reach the top because they allow the power to control their lives and act unethically.

                Beyond the corporate level of control and power, this same thing can happen in one’s personal life. For example, within a marriage when one person controls the marriage and becomes abusive they are using their power to put down their spouse. This can lead to unethical behavior such as controlling money, time, and relationships. In the end, the person who is abusive and controlling usually falls hard because something happens such as the spouse finds a way to leave or they end up in jail. When power and control take over, rational and ethical behavior are lost but an individual cannot sustain for too long before they fall.

Adams, S. (2013, December 18). The Worst CEO Screw-Ups Of 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2017, from Forbes website: https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/12/18/the-worst-ceo-screw-ups-of-2013/#3726b949567e

Riggio, R. (2009, August 8). How Power Corrupts Leaders. Retrieved June 16, 2017, from Psychology Today website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/200908/ how-power-corrupts-leaders


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