In the world of leadership, power doesn’t always come hand in hand with success. When the dark side of leadership surfaces, major challenges can strike in the blink of an eye.
We’ve seen this play out in the financial news — former CEO Adam Neumann once drove WeWork’s valuation down by 37 billion USD in just a few months.
Every one of us can, at times, be driven by our personality traits. But when a leader allows the darker side of their character to take control, the consequences can be severe: a toxic organizational culture, demotivated employees, dissatisfied customers, a damaged brand reputation — even bankruptcy.
Ironically, the very strengths that make leaders successful can become their greatest traps.
Neumann’s bold, charismatic leadership style — once a driver of growth — turned into a liability when overused. Under pressure or boredom, when self-control weakens, these strengths can flip into derailers: overconfidence, impulsiveness, attention-seeking, or excessive creativity detached from reality.
According to Hogan’s research, derailment behaviors fall into three groups: Withdrawal, Opposition, and Compliance. Among them, Opposition is the most common pattern among leaders — characterized by high confidence, competitiveness, a desire for challenge, and, at times, arrogance.
Young entrepreneurs, especially in dynamic startup environments, often display these traits strongly — as risk-taking and boldness are essential for proving themselves.
Still, these traits are invaluable assets — if managed correctly. A creative, confident, and competitive CEO can lead a company through pivotal moments such as mergers or market expansion. But without self-awareness and behavioral regulation, those same traits can harm the entire organization.
Take WeWork as a case in point. Adam Neumann had the talent and vision to build something remarkable, yet his unchecked behaviors led to massive financial losses, board conflicts, and a collapse in public trust.
With the right leadership development, he could have cultivated strategic self-awareness — balancing boldness with restraint — and steered the company toward sustainable success.
The lesson here isn’t “avoid risk.” It’s to know yourself, balance your strengths and weaknesses, and turn power into a constructive force — not a destructive one.
Source: Hogan
