Effective leadership is of course vital to business success. Consequently, strong leaders are revered inside their organizations -- and if they become successful enough, they can become media stars, or presidential candidates, or both.
As a leader starts to become really big, the influence of that magnification can be felt throughout the company. When Bill Gates was leading Microsoft to world domination, for example, he always -- and I mean always -- wore a sweater with a buttoned shirt underneath it. During those years if you saw a picture of Gates with a group of his executives, they would also be wearing sweaters.
That didn't happen by accident. Gates might never have consciously intended it, but he had created a Microsoft uniform. Nor was he the first leader to do that. When IBM was leader of the pack in the 1950s and 60s, the uniform was a dark suit, white shirt, and thin tie. That was what James Watson, the CEO, wore, so there was no option for wearing anything else.
This herding instinct extends beyond fashion choices. Power within an organization may be assigned to those employees who are able to most closely resemble the leader, especially when it's the leader who confers the power. That's when the organization starts to take on a cult-like aspect -- which may not be all bad, except for two things. First, the strong leader won't be there forever. Second, there may be very talented people who are lost to the company simply because they don't "fit in."
Wise leaders recognize the dangers of their narcissistic tendencies. They deliberately cultivate difference and diversity. Others, however, are drawn to the guru role and behaviors it entails. The first link below is a Psychology Todayarticle that identifies some characteristics of a "cult of personality" leader. The second link explores similar tendencies in our old friend, the endlessly fascinating Mr. Jobs. The article is called "The Cult of Steve."
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