Failure of Succession
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” — Lord Acton, 1887
We all have a finite amount of time on this earth.
And an even more limited time in our jobs, despite a possible desire to remain on longer.
Once exposed to the trappings of power, it’s only natural to want to remain in such a position, with all of the comforts and ego-boosting amenities that accompany it.
At times, the ego can get in the way—even in the best leaders. But more so from those who might not be quite as competent.
Notice I didn’t say charismatic; there are far too many instances where charisma makes up for talent deficit disorder in leaders.
While the Roman Empire lasted nearly 1,000 years, it had its fair share of issues with incompetence and power struggles, particularly in the latter half. Consider:
In a tumultuous time following the death of Nero, the year 69 A.D. was called The Year of the Four Emperors, in which Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian each took the throne within the span of 12 months.
In 193 A.D., following the death of Commodus, the Empire experienced The Year of the Five Emperors.
And they only had to wait another 45 years for The Year of the Six Emperors in 238 A.D.
Suddenly, the revolving front door of 10 Downing Street doesn’t seem so dire.
What was causing all of this upheaval and a revolving door on Capitoline Hill? Power struggles from within the army and confusion over succession rules.
Competition for power has always caused strife and will continue to do so until the end of humanity. Robert Greene wrote an entire book on this concept, called The 48 Laws of Power.
Greene’s book is a Machiavellian work, giving the reader essential ruthless and amoral instruction on how to hold onto power. Chapter titles such as “Keep People Dependent on You,” “Always Say Less Than Necessary,” and “Avoid Stepping into a Great Man’s Shoes” indicate the disdain for trust and communication.
When a great leader leaves their position, there is usually a power vacuum — their style, their charisma, their very presence is no longer driving execution — particularly transformational leaders like Jack Welch from GE, Alan Mulally from Ford, or Bob Iger from Disney.
“Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.” — Ann Landers
A Tale of Two Bobs
Bob Iger was chosen to return as CEO of Disney after a lackluster performance by his hand-picked successor, Bob Chapek. Iger had been given a $10 million consulting contract to serve as an advisor to Chapek, but the two barely spoke.
In some ways, this was natural: a new CEO wants to show independence from his predecessor. But when struggling with certain aspects of the job, the best advisor one can have is someone who has served in that role.
Ideally, the outgoing CEO has chosen the new CEO wisely after years of working together, aligning their thinking, and sharing a vision. That appears not to have been the case at Disney.
Iger served as CEO at Disney for 15 years, with his contract extended first to 2016, then to 2018, and finally until 2021. That’s partly a sign of the need for stability during upheaval in the media industry — but it’s also a sign of an ineffectual succession planning process.
Alan Mulally himself once told me,
“Scott, the most important thing a leader can do is to identify and prepare the next generation of leaders.”
And that sentiment has stayed with me ever since.
When it comes to institutions — the government, a global corporation, or even a family firm — there is a legacy to uphold. In these organizations, leadership isn’t about the individual but rather about stewardship.
An orderly transition matters for all stakeholders, not just investors. Employees, suppliers, customers, and shareholders: all need consistency, transparency, and a sense of certainty in an era of change and chaos.
When it comes to developing talent, a leader not only needs to give her people a roadmap, but also needs to develop the next wave of leadership with support, guidance, feedback, and mentorship. This is a multi-year process that builds capability and trust.
In order to do that, a leader needs to be able to subvert their own ego. It’s not about you, it’s about the institution.
In handing in his commission as general and later relinquishing the presidency after two terms, George Washington demonstrated leadership that didn’t fall prey to ego (and was very conscious about such appearances).
From 1797 until 2021, we witnessed a peaceful transition of power from our nation’s chief executives. As ever, Washington served as an example to them and to leaders everywhere about the need to put ego aside for the greater good.
Once we recognize that our legacy as leaders is to serve others, the transition eases.
Thanks and I’ll see you on the internet.
Further Reading
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! (And thank you!)
Another title that might be helpful is Ryan Holiday’s The Ego is the Enemy. It’s a handy guide on how to put the cause before yourself.
