A sad but true leadership tale:
“Unlike most CEOs who rely on their executive team to keep them informed, [redacted] relies on his team to keep him feeling good about himself.
And so whenever somebody would tell him something that he didn't know and make it very clear that he wasn't the smartest person in the room on each and every topic, he generally fired them.”
Imagine the culture this behavior would create: silence, fear, and disengagement — or worse (related to a lack of Psychological Safety). Instead of growing stronger through diverse perspectives, his organization would become weaker. How much weaker? Or what would you expect?
This story reminds me of a fundamental leadership truth:
The best leaders create an environment where others feel safe to speak up, even if it means disagreeing with or outshining the boss.
What lessons do you think we can take from this? Have you ever experienced or witnessed leadership like this? I hope you haven't worked for somebody like this. Let's discuss in the comments.
