Questioning Authority as a prerequisite of Leadership
I was just reading an article on the BBC about the Milgram study, the infamous 1960s experiment exploring people’s tendency to obey orders, regardless of knowingly inflicting cruelty to others. A rough average of around 80% obeyed the orders of the scientists, provided that the scientists and not the subjects themselves took responsibility for the cruel shocking of their actions.
One of the interesting key points of these series of experiments is how obedience is “easier” on the brain, requiring far less resources and effort than disobedience, and the act of questioning the authority person who issues the orders. Morality aside, the rough 20% of people challenging authority is what we also see in every day life, in business and elsewhere.
As a Business Consultant, Leadership is one of the key issues I am dealing with and trying to instil to the people I work with. However, leadership is not for everyone.
Leadership and agency takes effort. Following commands is easier.
Most people, the 80%, are followers. Only a handful, the 20%, can be leaders.
And you cannot be a Leader without having the “bug” of individualism, of challenging the status quo, of questioning the authority. Of everyone. On everything.
Individualism is a virtue highly cherished by classic liberalism, by scientists, artists, and revolutionaries.
However, Individualism without cooperation leads to fragmentation, and therefore lack of creative and productive output.
And the questioning of the authority must come from the inherent need of being provided with convincing evidence, not from a blind faith in any system, or from disobedience for disobedience’s sake. Challenging our world and its imposed views and assumptions must come from the vision and need of carving a different deviant path, the path less travelled, where pioneers push forward against the odds.
Leadership therefore comes from our ability to see different Futures, where others see only one, or at least don’t bother to question the future and rail tracks that others laid for them.
Leadership and Foresight are interconnected.
But, as I argued, Leadership is not for everyone. Woe to the company that has 80% Leaders, and 20% Followers, as everyone will try to carve their own divergent path. We need followers, people who can be relied upon to carry on the tasks that should be done. However, even followers should always exert Critical Thinking, and be able to stand up and speak up when things may look odd. Multiple minds are always better than one.
But woe also to the organisation that has too few Leaders in its ranks. Being an executive or even a managing director does not mean that you are a Leader. Leadership is a high badge of honour, one that is conquered, after spending countless hours, days, and years challenging authority, and first of all challenging the authority of your own mind.
Conforming with the world may result in lucrative business, but not innovation. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily so, especially if you need to produce quick monetary gains for your shareholders.
But if you really want to be a Leader, Think. And Challenge Authority. And Disobey. And Dream of different Futures, that only you may see. And then find the mental strength and willpower to come forward with your own message, even if none else is willing to hear it. Someone, somewhere, might will.
Otherwise, without Innovative Leadership, we would still be stuck in the savannah being hunted by lions.
Link to the BBC article:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20261016-the-shocking-truths-about-an-infamous-experiment-in-obedience
