Biden likely can’t win, but leadership hubris won’t let him see it | Opinion
After what is already a potentially historically defining debate performance, people frequently ask me something like this:
“Professor, you study leadership. Why, despite all the pressures doesn’t Biden step down? It’s obvious he can’t win.”
The answer is a combination of two disorders that often afflict leaders – even the most powerful man in the world – addiction and hubris.
Power, just like crack cocaine, opium, and, in extreme cases marijuana, is addictive. Unless a leader has a powerful, genuine self-esteem, if you take away his power, he is likely to plunge into sadness or even depression as you remove his artificially bloated self-esteem.
The more power they have, the harder they fall. Whoever holds the U.S. presidency is rightly considered the most powerful person in the world; just imagine the fall from such a state.
The second is hubris. Attaining such a position can lead to excessive pride – especially after several attempts in a lifelong career aspiring to the position. This pride is often continually inflated by those that surround the leader, especially those closest to him or her.
Hubris says: “You are great. You can do anything you want.”
Addiction to power says: “Who would I become without the vast power I now have? What I was before?
Who would the fable’s emperor be without his clothes?”
Modesto “Mitch” Maidique is the former president of Florida International University and a renown expert and professor on the topic of leadership.
