Just Because You Want to Lead Doesn’t Mean You Should

Why do incompetent people end up in positions of power? A team of researchers led by Stanford University’s Shilaan Alzahawi thinks it has at least part of the answer. The team asked 472 participants at an executive education program to self-report their level of ambition. The participants were then rated by peers, subordinates, managers, and themselves on 10 leadership competencies, including their ability to motivate others, manage collaborative work, coach and develop people, and present and communicate ideas. The results showed no relationship between ambition and leadership aptitude. The conclusion: Just because you want to lead doesn’t mean you should.