Hard Lessons of the Ego: The pride before the fall

Episode #252 // Chris Licht, the former CEO of CNN, resigned recently after a scathing exposé in The Atlantic. What was supposed to be an opportunity to provide a firsthand account of a miraculous company turnaround, ended up in embarrassment, reputational damage, and the inevitable sacking.

This isn’t the first time someone has invited the media to make a contemporaneous record of a firm’s excellence, only to have it backfire spectacularly!

In the 1970s, British Steel was the subject of a documentary film which, instead of showcasing its leading edge management performance and industrial dominance, as had been expected, uncovered an unhealthy culture that made any aspirations of commercial excellence impossible.   What causes leaders to believe their own bullsh!t? Why would they open themselves up to public scrutiny if they didn’t genuinely believe in their abilities, and the almost inevitable success of their mission?

In this episode, I look at these two case studies, and dig into the root causes of hubris. I also give my three tips for staying grounded (and staying out of the newspapers).

Source Material UnHerd Article: How Britain Lost British Steel HBS Case Study British Steel Corporation - the Korf Contract No Bullsh!t Leadership Episodes: Ep.1: Respect Before Popularity Ep.183: Mentors, Coaches, and Trusted Advisors Ep.229: Confidence, Arrogance, and Self-Doubt

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