Posted on 10/08/2005 by Walk the Planks
Viewed: 709 times
I just read an article in Psychology Today (October 2005 issue) last night on "Crass Commanders." Here's what part of the headline read:
"People of high status have no qualms about farting, flossing & flirting in public -- that's because power desensitizes as much as it corrupts.
"President Lyndon B. Johnson's penchant for receiving cabinet members and newspaper reporters while seated on the toilet is well known. In meetings Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner ate raw onions and slugged vodka from the bottle in mid-conversation. And a top executive at the New York Post used to step aside during meetings to urinate in a corner sink. Conducting personal hygiene and acting inappropriately in front of subordinates turns out to be a rich tradition. It's one way bosses reveal how disinhibited they are.
Some businesspeople comport themselves like bare-a** monkeys. At a political lobbying firm in New England, a partner sometimes farts loudly during staff meetings. Everyone in the room understands that his farting does not constitute permission for them to fart. It is the underlings' place to endure the scent of the alpha, not the other way around."
Here are some of the sidelines:
"Carly Fiorina: When Lucent was acquired by Hewlett-Packard, the then-CEO greeted Lucent employees with athletic socks stuffed down her pants and taunted: "Our balls are as big as anyone's."
"Bill O'Reilly: The Fox News talk show host allegedly called an underling for phone sex, offered to teach her how to use a vibrator and described fantasies involving a loofah sponge.
"Jann Wenner: The Rolling Stone founder, along with his ex, Jane, is said to hit on new staff members, men & women alike.
"Bonnie Fuller: The editorial director of American Media had her manicures done during staff meetings and threw temper tantrums if her coffee wasn't up to snuff.
"John Bolton: The United Nations ambassador has drawn fire for his "kiss-up, kick-down" tactics. Once, he chased a woman down the hallway and hurled a tape dispenser at her.
"Lyndon B. Johnson: The 36th president -- who belched, cursed and touched his genitals in public -- once showed off his appendectomy scar to reporters. He also set his wristwatch alarm during other people's speeches.
Linda Wachner: The former Warnaco head reportedly yelled at executives of a division she felt was underperforming: "You're eunuchs! How can your wives stand you? You've got nothing between your legs!"
Leona Helmsley: The "Queen of Mean," who ran the Helmsley hotel empire, berated and fired employees on the spot, allegedly for mistakes like overlooking a crooked lampshade."
It seems as though the bigger and the more powerful that people get, they become less civilized, forget how to feel empathy/sympathy for others and lose their inhibitions. Power corrupts in more ways that meet the eyes.
Now don't we all feel better? Things could be worse.
strategicinnovator(06/28/2006)
Lucent was never acquired by HP. Compaq was as well as a number of small companies.
Dharmadee(06/29/2006)
I read this article. It actually made me depressed...we are so obviously a species that is almost solely governed by animal instinct. These are our "top dogs".
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