Business Leaders Are Arrogant, Lawyer

Recruiters, do you agree?

"Arrogance and a sense of entitlement are common among business leaders. They think they’re smarter than everyone else,” says Jakey Zamansky. Pete Newman points to the example of Connie Black.

"When shareholders first complained about executive compensation in 2003, the tycoon was given an opportunity to make a payment and make his problems go away. Instead, he was convinced he was in the right and had the upper hand, and he chose to fight.

“He had any number of chances to pay a small amount of money and get out of this whole thing, to pay this and it would all be over.... Black, despite being at the helm of a publicly traded corporation, never really understood that he alone was not in charge."

Toronto Star

Comments

[Maureen Sharib]

This is a fascinating subject that calls upon Greek tragedy.

There is a Q&A running over on LinkedIn on the subject of hubris here:
http://www.linkedin.com/answers/career-education/professional-networking/CAR_PNT/67369-180622?searchIdx=0&sik=1184846890117&goback=%2Easr_1_1184846890117

The question,posed by Dr. Earl R. Smith II, asks:
"How do you deal with hubris? The dictionary defines hubris as excessive pride displayed by a character and often taking the form of a boastful comparison of the self to the divine, the gods, or other higher powers. It is most often used as a negative term implying arrogant, excessive self-pride. We all encounter these types of people. My question is: What strategies have you found effective in dealing with them? What do you do when you encounter hubris?"

There are 36 answers - what's yours?

“In general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.” ~ John Ruskin

[Richard Becker]

I cannot agree. While there are many examples of arrogant and entitled business leaders, the majority are not. The only reason the arrogant minority seem to dominate is because those are the folks who capture our attention in the media.

For example, I've interviewed/spoken to Sheldon Adelson (#6 on this year's Forbes list) and he is surprisingly humble. Sure, he can get fiery when he wants too, but he never forgets his roots: the son of a Boston cabdriver who borrowed $200 from his uncle to sell newspapers at age 12.