The Intersection of Intelligence and Arrogance
Reading this brought me back to my days in the Army, "teaching" young lieutenants and hotshot young NCO's:
The high competence, high arrogance leader can win any individual battle but lose the war. Bosses with this combination create subordinates who become adept at passive aggression. Of course they say all the right words and show appropriate compliance, but they secretly take pleasure in the inevitable obstacles and setbacks the high competence/arrogance style creates. And they will watch passively as the leader fails when in fact they could help. The world enjoys seeing bright but arrogant people get their comeuppance.Notice I said "young". It's important that these types stumble one good time in their formative years, to prevent them from becoming set in their ways and becoming an insufferable ass later in life.
And yes, young SP4/SGT Rustmeister had similar instruction back in the day. I was the shit, after all. =)
Thanks to Dr. Helen for the pointer.
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1 comment:
It's definitely better to stumble in the younger days of one's career -- before one jeopardizes the lives and bodies of one's subordinates. But stumble, indeed one must. That's how we learn balance.
I learned that from a pretty smart dude.
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