Power and ego: an imperfect combination

Incidents manifest in impulsive decisions that lead to crises, both political and economic, creating contradictions between the discourses of leadership and the reality of their actions.

Power and ego are interconnected and interlinked forces that shape the political and business spheres and act as engines of decision-making, influence and sometimes destabilization. The combination of both can create complex dynamics that affect governance, corporate governance, and the social and economic structure of a country. We are currently seeing manifestations of this dangerous combination in various parts of the world and country. In politics, the cult of personality phenomenon is evident in leaders who prioritize their image, often at the expense of democracy and control. In the business sector, self-centeredness can result in toxic organizational cultures and a lack of innovation, as evidenced by studies of leadership in high-performing organizations.

Incidents manifest in impulsive decisions that lead to crises, both political and economic, creating contradictions between the discourses of leadership and the reality of their actions. Critical reflection on these dynamics is essential to understanding how power and ego affect the effectiveness of leaders, the health of organizations and societies as a whole.

Authors such as the German Max Weber analyzed power as the ability to influence the behavior of others and emphasized how leaders could develop a symbiotic relationship with their own public image. A leader’s ego often becomes a deciding factor that can distort his judgment and favor the pursuit of personal recognition over the collective interest. In the field of business, the American Jim Collins in his work Good to Great argues that sustainable success comes from humble and team-oriented leadership, which contrasts with an egocentric leadership style that can lead to harmful decisions.

The tendency to focus on the ego can manifest itself in strategic decisions that ignore the voice of the teams and instead favor the one-sided vision of the leader.

The combination of power and ego is imperfect and has profound implications for the trust that citizens and collaborators place in their leaders.

When ego prevails, decisions are often more in line with self-gratification than the common good, which can undermine the legitimacy and credibility of institutions and organizations. This mistrust affects social cohesion and the working environment, limiting innovation and sustainable growth.

It is imperative that leaders recognize the importance of a shared and accountable approach that prioritizes transparency and accountability, thus establishing a new paradigm where power is exercised based on collective interest and not as a reflection of personal ego.