Do Great Leaders Have to be Jerks to Lead? (Maybe)

originally posted by: SlapMonkey
I think that most great leaders aren't jerks, but most lack the ambition of having the power of a military or a nation behind it, so only the jerks with that type of ambition take it that far.

This isn't ambition you are seeing, these are "appointments". They have been merely "vetted" to leadership roles, nothing more.

originally posted by: intrptr

I can't see anyone without that trait coming to power and being able to maintain it.

How do we account for career politicians, then? Hillary, McCain, and ilk never seem to go away, always dancing around the flame in one capacity or another. Always wanting the reins of power, always kissing ass on the way up and manipulating their way, by any means.

Corporate appointed leaders in the USA have no real physical threats hanging over their heads, so in turn, they flog their horses to death, thinking that there will be no physical repercussions. Again, this concept is not "survival of the fittest", this is "Social Darwinism". There is a difference between the two. These "appointed leaders" are only "thriving" because regular people think man-made law is stopping them from practicing "Darwinian Evolution" (i.e. physically removing people performing poorly in APPOINTED leadership roles). If it were not for laws backing up the actions of appointed leaders, along with, the looming fear of legal punishment, if a socially supported response action is taken, regular people wouldn't listen to their ANY of their decrees and would physically retaliate against any attempts by them to assert "appointed authority".

a reply to: boohoo

Corporate appointed leaders in the USA have no real physical threats hanging over their heads, so in turn, they flog their horses to death, thinking that there will be no physical repercussions.

I think their greatest fear is falling out of favor, being exposed and dumped for someone "better".

As long as they deliver lies as promises and sign the right dotted lines, they will be allowed to maintain their illusion of power.

Besides, theirs lots of applause on the world stage.

They don't have to be jerks. But generally, you have to be one to get to that position of power.

originally posted by: IridiumFlareMadness
They don't have to be jerks. But generally, you have to be one to get to that position of power.

Sorry to keep correcting, but the proper term here is: "appointed leadership, with vetted authority to make decisions on the behlaf of corporations and government"

In contrast a "position of power" would be a union leader, unrecognized as a leader by authorities, that somehow gets a crowd to storm an office building and drag the CEO and Board of Directors out of their offices and made examples of in the streets.

Air France executives ambushed at board meeting, stripped of clothes by protesting workers following layoff announcement

Air France executive 'almost lynched' as jobs dispute turns violent

You mean these "appointed leaders" couldn't quickly muster up a quick defense against the rioting union members, by rallying the other nearby office workers to arms? These people are officially called "leaders" after all. So, you mean to tell me that the nearest office drones couldn't be rousted into defensive action, simply by the verbal command of their "bosses", that were obviously in immediate physical danger?

The reality is that it took a REAL leader convince people to do this, WITHOUT PAY or immediate direct reward. That is something an Appointed Leader like Steve Jobs could never accomplish, as was illustrated by the Air France executive that left the meeting SHIRTLESS and another that was barely able to scale a fence without losing also his shirt. Notice that this union leaders name is not noted anywhere in the news.

Why?

Because "Appointed Leaders" deepest fear is having to confront those opposing their rule, whom have the toughness, brawn, brains and real leadership skills to truly lead people. In the olden days, these guys would have been worried everyday about getting challenged to a Duel or having production shut down in their factories by disgruntled, violent, rioting labor.