Chief among culprits is power. When Richard Fuld was chief executive of Lehman Brothers, he perfected the seamless commute: a limo drove him to a helicopter, which flew him to Manhattan, where another limo whisked him to the bank’s offices. Front and lift doors were timed so that Fuld could ascend to his office without encountering a single employee. Most leaders of organisations inhabit a bubble of power, of which Fuld’s commute is a magnificent physical representation. They are isolated, or surrounded by those desperate to please. The powerful also communicate differently. Academic analysis of their language shows that, confronted by risky situations, the powerful think in more abstract terms, are more optimistic and more certain that they are right. They are both mentally and physically cut off from the reality most people would recognise. Power is a problem, not a perk, and it is exacerbated by money. Extremely high pay adds social isolation to the psychological solipsism of power. Moreover, because business decisions, for the most part, are framed as purely economic choices, the focus on money crowds out ethical considerations. If the numbers work, the decision works - doesn’t it?
–
(Source: newstatesman.com)
Chief among culprits is power. When Richard Fuld was chief executive of Lehman Brothers, he perfected the seamless commute: a limo drove him to a helicopter, which flew him to Manhattan, where another limo whisked him to the bank’s offices. Front and lift doors were timed so that Fuld could ascend to his office without encountering a single employee. Most leaders of organisations inhabit a bubble of power, of which Fuld’s commute is a magnificent physical representation. They are isolated, or surrounded by those desperate to please. The powerful also communicate differently. Academic analysis of their language shows that, confronted by risky situations, the powerful think in more abstract terms, are more optimistic and more certain that they are right. They are both mentally and physically cut off from the reality most people would recognise. Power is a problem, not a perk, and it is exacerbated by money. Extremely high pay adds social isolation to the psychological solipsism of power. Moreover, because business decisions, for the most part, are framed as purely economic choices, the focus on money crowds out ethical considerations. If the numbers work, the decision works - doesn’t it?
–
(Source: newstatesman.com)
Posted 9 months ago & Filed under wilful blindness, politics, corporations, new statesman, power, 5 notes
Notes:
-
ding0543 liked this
-
crimesoftheheart reblogged this from flockandtoc
-
flockandtoc posted this
