Timothy Pascoe - date: 2011/03/18 08:39 am

Dear Sabina,

What a great comment!

You raise a whole series of important issues - not least being the parallels amongst political leaders today. And, I'm not referring to leaders of democratic countries (like Italy, where the President's behaviour is certainly bizarre) but dictatorships of the type under pressure in North Africa at present. Similarly, in the rest of Africa, where some dictators have destroyed their countries but remains in control.

While the self-indulgence of such leaders may lack the full flood of Caligula's personal behaviours (or perhaps we just don't hear about this), they share the self-delusion and loss of reality. Above all, such leaders lost or abandonded any objective moral compass. "Right" becomes what they want and, "wrong" is anything that cuts across their authority or independence of action.

Happily, most corporations are free of such extremes - though not entirely. For example, there were companies that grew like mushrooms and prospered during the last financial boom, where similar leadership disorientation and loss of compass were evident. Most of these, however, collapsed due to their own internal contradictions (of business model and culture) - or their inability to continue funding themselves when the financial tide went out.

Again thank you for a great comment.

Timothy

Sabina Asare- Browne - date: 2011/03/18 05:43 am

Timothy,On Caligula (AD) many years ago i saw a film about ruthless potrayal of Caligula. A Caligula personality (almost an alpha and omega self beleif )he thought he could create the world, perhaps. A Self destructive Caligula was destructive to others then, but today a self inherited Caligula in business for all the wrong reasons too can destroy a business, because its all about total loss of control in thinking, moral judgement and self indulgent behaviour and beleifs. This will result in a lack of total human discipline were all a condition of his mind and soul. Modern day Caligula s can be likened to some political dictatorship regimes where the leaders consider they can rule perpertually without end. irrational indulgence, unfairness, grabing power not wanting to let go and really thinking they can do no wrong and therefore not need corrections eg detentaining any oposition or anyone considered threat. There are still Modern day Caligulas in one form or the other who have taken on some or all of his attibutes you describe ,but who now die to leadership not with a sword but when the followers have had enough and stand up in rebellion against them. To ensure we do not become Caligula we need to ensure, team work through involvement, empowerment, partnerships, suggestions and contributions to team working in order to sustain good leading and to create a healthy working environment.

Wang Fang Hu - date: 2011/03/17 07:00 pm

Timthy,

I have read your article and found it amazing how mankind is so similar, regardless of its culture and its origin. Also in China we had many and many "copies" of Caligula during our history.

Wang Fang

Timothy Pascoe - date: 2011/03/17 11:10 am

Dear Percival,

Many thanks for your comment below. Sadly, I didn't read it before responding to Phadke's comment. You had already covered what I had to say - and much better!

Best wishes,

Timothy

Timothy Pascoe - date: 2011/03/17 11:08 am

Dear Phadke,

Many thanks for passing on my Potshot to others.

I think we have Caligulas in every country.

More worringly, at times, I suspect that all of us show a bit of Caligula's irrationality or excessive self-belief. I well remember one CEO role, in which I had far too much belief in the correctedness of a strategy I'd developed - and didn't listen sufficiently to those around me. I need hardly add that the results were NOT good.

Best wishes - and again thank you,

Timothy

Timothy Pascoe - date: 2011/03/17 11:03 am

Dear Amit,

You're right: a leader needs to have and exercise both IQ and EQ. Sadly, most of us get plenty of formal training in IQ - via our school, university and on-the-job education. However, learning about EQ is allowed to be more haphazard. Little wonder that this where so many of us sub-optimise our performance.

Many thanks,

Timothy

Percival Uwechue - date: 2011/03/16 09:43 pm

I was scared and awed, above all enlightened at the end of the read.

The different scenarios are rife in my part of the world, while at the same time some of these recognizing some of these traits are inherent or latent in each of us, to what degree we let them surface is individual specific.

All are ego based, and my two pence, every leader should try being open to criticism insofar as it is constructive.

Those in leadership positions fight these ghosts daily, they come with the territory/terrain we serve in, above all else, we are human after all.

Thank you for this Timothy, truly appreciated

Phadke Subodhkumar Narayan - date: 2011/03/16 02:05 am

Namaste Sir,

This is a great article and eye opener too. The example that you took from the past is perfect one.

I assume fellow citizens from our motherland India know about this character.

This is the classic example you narrated by comparing with (business) leaders.

Yes, in India, we do good number of "Caligula" all across. They are in business. They are in media. Over & above, they are in politics.

Thanks a lot for writing this article. Once again I am going to share this article back in our motherland with this hope that they understand the article in totality. I am also going to add article about "Caligula" so as to help them to understand your article in totality. Since many "leaders" have not read Indian history. So reading history about other countries does not come in to picture. In turn, putting efforts.

Sincerely I remain,

Phadke

Amit Dogra - date: 2011/03/15 08:20 pm

Good One Mr. Timothy..thanks for the article.

Honesty is the best policy , especially for the leaders at Top management. Followers always try to impersonate there leaders actions & actions which turns out into results.
And yes a good leader should have a balnaced composition of IQ & EQ when making certain decision when particular situation arise.

Regards
Amit Dogra

Timothy Pascoe - date: 2011/03/15 04:41 pm

Dear Gurkirat,

Thanks for your comment. You make a good point. The Potshots are in many cases more about reminding people rather than breaking new ground.

I'm always amazed (negatively!) as to how much I've forgotten over the years. If we all retained 10% more of what we've experienced or been taught, we'd be a lot more effective. Certainly, I would be. I find I'm still relearning things I should have mastered years ago.

Best wishes,

Timothy

Gurkirat Singh - date: 2011/03/15 04:36 pm

This is excellent.....Very impressed not because I didn't know this but the fact that it reminded me everything all over again. The example will help in remembering it.

Kind Regards

Gurkirat Singh

Timothy Pascoe - date: 2011/03/15 03:29 pm

Diana,

Thank you also for your kind comment.

I'd missed your post.

Timothy

Timothy Pascoe - date: 2011/03/15 03:27 pm

Dear John, Drew and Patricia,

Many thanks for three interesting comments on this week's Potshot. Let me comment in turn.

John: as you say, self-knowledge is a pass key to better leadership, as it is to a better life. Without it, much goes wrong.

Drew: I really like your statement "it's not making a mistake that matters, but how the organisation handles it." The same is true for each of us as individuals. If we don't make mistakes, then we're not stretching ourselves. And, what we learn from our mistakes is the critical part. As is often quoted: why sack an executive, who has just made a costly error that just wastes the investment the company has made in his or her learning.

Patricia: an interesting comment from the FT: giving oneself the benefit of the doubt - while failing (in all probability) to be as understanding for others. From my experience, there's a big difference between ego (often skewed by self-deception) and confidence. Humility and courage cohabit quite easily with confidence but less often with ego.

Again, thanks to each of you for sharing your thoughts.

Timothy

Patricia Rochford - date: 2011/03/15 02:38 am

Timothy

Lucy Kellaway in today's FT (Monday 14th March) writes in a similar vein. Her analysis of the responses of 60 business leaders in an weekly FT column led her to the conclusion that "the three worst traits of chief executives are a lack of self-knowledge, a lack of self-knowledge and a quite extraordinary willingness to give themselves the benefit of the doubt". (Note: her repetition).

As an executive search consultant some time ago, I was dismayed to hear one of my clients, a Chief Executive of a leading global company, tell me that Chief Executives had to have a big ego - otherwise they wouldn't be up to the job. He had been so counselled by his coach! When I countered that I thought they had to have a strong sense of responsibility and a great deal of humility, I was told that I was out of tune with current management thinking. Hopefully coaches today have greater insights and understanding.

Drew Stevenson - date: 2011/03/14 04:43 pm

I think this personality trait is perhaps the most destructive failing to bring into any business, although for many it's the fear of not being thought to be a God that drives us down this path i.e. fearing to be wrong.
It's all very well to be decisive but you have to re-assess and listen to the views of others as they assess the success or otherwise of a particular course of action.
It is the manager's responsibility to make decisions and it's not making a mistake that matters, but how the organisation handles it.
Mistakes can be a fertile breeding ground for new ideas and if nothing else tell us what doesn't work. An organisation that doesn't make mistakes doesn't learn.

John Kitney - date: 2011/03/14 04:41 pm

Truly knowing one's self is as important in business as in life generally. It involves not taking ourselves too seriously and harnessing the best people to support one's goals. Achieving great outcomes requires wisdom and honesty to recognise the best possible people and courses of action, an agreed vision, encouragement and giving colleagues due credit for their efforts. Having an open and honest and transparent style is contagious. Timothy, Caligula is a good example of what not to do.

Diana - date: 2011/03/14 04:37 pm

Very good article.Thank you, Timothy.