Dark Side of Leadership and the Forces

Dark Side of Leadership and the Forces That Aid Its Rise

A good leader is probably one of the most important parts of running a business successfully, or guiding a country through to prosperity. Thus, a good leader will be able to be not only a good manager, but also a creative and impartial judge of where the business is going and how and what he can do to drive the organization in the right direction. Similarly, a good country leader will examine a country's situation and do his best to help its people and finances so that the country may rise to power on the world stage. Though many leaders in today's world are respected, talented individuals, there are also many corrupt leaders. This paper will thus discuss the forces that give rise to "dark" leaders, and how they affect the country that a particular leader is heading, as these cases are more visible in how they can affect our society and the world.

Many world leaders, especially in Western countries are individuals whose power is in check. However, when there are no checks and balances, a leader will go haywire in his hunger for power. This has been seen countless times in African countries, for example. One instance that comes to mind is the country of Zimbabwe, where Robert Mugabe has created a cult of personality composed of individuals that must adore him, regardless of their personal choices. Such a society has been cursed with despicable, biased leadership, and Mugabe has only held the country back.

One of the forces that have led to Mugabe's cling to power are similar to those that help CEO's cling to power after they've done some less than reputable things. Most leaders are under pressure, for example, and when stress is high, many individuals become blind to their own faults. When a cult of personality is formed, this blindness is exacerbated, and it often leads a leader to believe in himself, his shrewdness and imaginativeness. The cult of personality thus leads to losing touch with reality, which will not only harm the leader's credibility but will also harm the people whom he leads. [1: Yeung, R. "The Dark Side of Leadership." Accountancy. Feb. 2008, 141(1374). Retrieved April 26, 2011. P. 54-55.] [2: Conger, J.A. "The Dark Side of Leadership." Elsevier Science Publishing Company, Inc. Retrieved April 26, 2011. . ]

Another force that drives bad leadership is a leader's switch from leading the people or doing the best he or she can for the company to focusing wholly on personal gain. Such examples are replete in history and even in our political and financial world today, because humans are creatures that are innately driven to look for profit in their ventures. Few people, especially those in power and under pressure are able to keep their head straight, so to speak, and do everything in their powers to benefit their country or their company. It is, thus, no wonder that many leaders become corrupt for financial reasons. [3: Conger, J.A. "The Dark Side of Leadership." P. 1. ]