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Three temptations of leaders

Three temptations of leaders Purpose – Despite the challenge of precisely defining the nature of temptation, this paper seeks to collect contrasting perspectives of this less attractive side of leadership and sets out to find a cure, or rather prevention, for falling into its grasp. Design/methodology/approach – Following a literature review of the temptations to which leaders succumb, the results of focused and intimate case studies of highly respected leaders highlight just what they are tempted with and how and why they particularly may succumb to hedonism, power and posterity. Findings – Extracts of interviews with an international sample of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and significant others reveal a distinctly human experience from which it is considered no‐one is exempt. Included in the sample were female top managers but no discernable difference between the genders could be ascertained. The idiosyncratic nature of response to temptation positioned each interviewees experience as unique. It is concluded that certain measures need to be implemented in order to control and reduce the darker human tendencies when exposed to certain conditions. Originality/value – The paper offers suggestions on possible strategies that leaders can adopt to guard against temptation. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Leadership & Organization Development Journal Emerald Publishing

Three temptations of leaders

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References (43)

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
0143-7739
DOI
10.1108/01437730710739639
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Purpose – Despite the challenge of precisely defining the nature of temptation, this paper seeks to collect contrasting perspectives of this less attractive side of leadership and sets out to find a cure, or rather prevention, for falling into its grasp. Design/methodology/approach – Following a literature review of the temptations to which leaders succumb, the results of focused and intimate case studies of highly respected leaders highlight just what they are tempted with and how and why they particularly may succumb to hedonism, power and posterity. Findings – Extracts of interviews with an international sample of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and significant others reveal a distinctly human experience from which it is considered no‐one is exempt. Included in the sample were female top managers but no discernable difference between the genders could be ascertained. The idiosyncratic nature of response to temptation positioned each interviewees experience as unique. It is concluded that certain measures need to be implemented in order to control and reduce the darker human tendencies when exposed to certain conditions. Originality/value – The paper offers suggestions on possible strategies that leaders can adopt to guard against temptation.

Journal

Leadership & Organization Development Journal – Emerald Publishing

Published: May 15, 2007

Keywords: Leadership; Management power

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